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River Processes Notes (1)

The document discusses key concepts related to rivers, including volume, velocity, discharge, and load, as well as the energy required for river processes such as erosion, transportation, and deposition. It outlines the three sections of a river (upper, middle, lower course) and describes various methods of erosion, types of transportation, and conditions for deposition. The document emphasizes the sorting of materials during deposition based on size and the factors that influence a river's energy and sediment transport capabilities.

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19 views4 pages

River Processes Notes (1)

The document discusses key concepts related to rivers, including volume, velocity, discharge, and load, as well as the energy required for river processes such as erosion, transportation, and deposition. It outlines the three sections of a river (upper, middle, lower course) and describes various methods of erosion, types of transportation, and conditions for deposition. The document emphasizes the sorting of materials during deposition based on size and the factors that influence a river's energy and sediment transport capabilities.

Uploaded by

rhoal.miller.202107140
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Geography

Grade 10
Rivers: Energy and Processes
Volume is the amount of water in the river.
Velocity is the speed of the water
Discharge is the amount of water passing a specific point at a given time.
Load: the total amount of material being carried by the river.

Energy is needed for transfers to occur. Around 95% of a river’s energy is used to overcome
friction. The remaining 5% or so is used to erode the river channel and transport material
downstream. The amount of energy in a river is determined by:

 the amount of water in the river


 the speed at which it is flowing
Near the source, river channels are shallow and narrow. Also the bed is often filled with
boulders and very uneven. High levels of friction upstream can cause considerable
turbulence. Three sections can be recognised along rivers:

 Upper Course
 Middle course
 Lower course
These sections of a river are combined to form the long profile of the river. In each section
the main process taking place and the shape of the valley are different. From source to mouth
the river’s: gradient decreases, depth increases, width increases, volume increases velocity
increases.

River Processes
A river goes through three processes: erosion, transportation and deposition.
Erosion
A river erodes the bed and bank of its channel through a number of methods:
Hydraulic action- This is the force of the river water itself, acting on the bed and banks
which remove material. Hydraulic action is particularly powerful when a river flows very
fast, for example near a waterfall, and becomes turbulent. The water looks white because it is
full of air bubbles.
Abrasion/Corrasion- This is the process by which stones, sand grains and other particles
carried by the river are thrown against the bed and banks and help to erode them.

Attrition- Stones and rocks carried downstream and thrown against each other. They are
worn away and gradually become more rounded as they are carried downstream.

Solution: River water can dissolve some of the minerals in rocks, soil and weathered
material. Solution is particularly important in limestone areas, but all rivers carry a significant
quantities of the dissolved salts.

Most erosion occurs when discharge is high and rivers are said to be in flood.

Transportation
There are four processes by which a river transports its load:
Traction- Stones and boulders are rolled along the riverbed. This needs the most energy.
Saltation- Sand-sized particles bounce along the bed in a ‘leap frog’ movement.
Suspension- Silt and clay-sized particles are carried within the water flow.
Solution- Some minerals dissolve in the water. This needs the least energy.
Deposition
Deposition takes place when a river does not have enough energy to carry its load. When a
river does not have enough energy to transport all the material that has been eroded upstream,
some of its load will be deposited. River deposits are known as alluvium. Energy decreases,
causing deposition in the following conditions:

 The gradient of the river is reduced, for example if it leaves a mountain range and
flows into a flat lowland. Gravel, sand and other material are often deposited at the
edge of a mountain range.

 The volume of the river is reduced. This may happen during a drought.

 The river flows into sea or into a lake. Mud, sand and other material are often
deposited at the mouth of a river.
How material is deposited?
When a river begins to deposit material, it will not deposit its entire load at once. The
material it carries is often sorted out by size, with the largest pieces deposited first, like this:

1. Large boulders are deposited first. They can only be moved when the gradient of the
bed is steep and river is full of storm water after a flood.
2. Gravel, small stones and sand are next.
3. Silt can be carried along, even when the river is flowing quite slowly, but most rivers
deposit some silt along their valleys.
4. Fine clay particles settle very slowly. There may be clay deposits on the bed of a lake,
or mixed with silt on the valley floor.
5. The salts that are carried in solution are not usually deposited at all. They are carried
into the sea, where they remain. Salt is only deposited when a river dries up
completely in a desert.

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