The Magnetic River System
Site 1- Climate
Precipitation and temperature can have major effects on the volume of
water flowing directly from the catchment to the rive channels
http://www.colourbox.com/preview/1990572-727-melting-ice-by-springtime-on-water-river.jpg
Questions
1) What’s happening to the ice on this picture? Where will the ice end up?
2) What effect with this have on the river system?
Site 2- Geology
The geology of the river can strongly influence the river channel pattern.
Water can either flow with the fault lines or encouraged to flow through
channels that have eroded into weaker rock types
http://phys.org/news/2013-08-destabilize-river-food-webs-lessons.html
Questions
1) Describe the environment in the picture.
2) What is the relationship between the lithosphere and the river system?
3) Predict what type of sediment this part of the river would mostly be made up of?
Site 3- River Basin Morphology
The size, shape and gradient (slope) of the catchment basement will have a
considerable effect on the discharge rate of the river. The discharge rate is
the volume rate of water.
http://ak.water.usgs.gov/yukon/index.php
Questions
1) This river basin is relatively flat. What will this mean for the flow of water along
site 3 of the river?
2) Is this site likely to be at higher or lower elevation compared to site 1 and 2?
Site 4- Catchment Soils and Vegetation
The nature of the soils and the vegetative cover of catchment will influence
the volume and rate of runoff
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_ecosystem
Questions
1) When there are heavy rainfalls, the volume of water in the river system will
increase. Will the vegetation in this river increase the yield of runoff and create
flood peaks?
Explain your answer
Site 5- River Channel
A river channel is an area that contains flowing water confined by
banks. It can include rills, which is defined as a very small channel of
water, caused mainly by runoff water that eroded the soil.
http://www.lifeinfreshwater.org.uk/Web%20pages/Rivers/Channels.htm
Questions
1) What would the banks of the river create as water passes through?
2) Would a river channel cause the flow of water to be faster or slower?