Name
Lower Sackville River Study
General Observation Sheet
Location:
Weather Conditions:
Site Sketch
Date:
Look for and label:
a) Physical features:
 Meanders
 River banks
 Boulders
 River bed
 Rocks
 Floodplain
 River channel
 Tributaries
 Waterfalls
 Vegetation
b) Human Features
 Paths Walls
 Buildings
 Bridges
 Roads
c) Processes
 Erosion
 Deposition
d) Other key features
Site Description (general)
Evidence of river management:
Evidence of recreation/tourism (type and
effect)
Possible causes of pollution/ visible
evidence of pollution
River Study Record Sheet
Lower Sackville River Study
Data Recording Sheet
1) Channel Width
________m
2) Channel Depth Interval
Location
Right
bank
0cm
3) Bank full Width ____________m
(All measurements in centimetres)
50cm
100cm
150cm
200cm
250cm
300cm
350cm
Left
Bank
Depth
4) Rock/Pebble score
Sample
1: Size
Sample
2: Size
Sample
3: Size
Sample
4: Size
Length
Width
Height
Describe
each
sample
of how
round or
rough it
is.
Sample 1:
Roundness
Sample 2:
Roundness
Sample 3:
Roundness
5) Temperature: ______________
6) Velocity
Distance from each person in the water
Timing test
1
2
3
4
5
Flow velocity
Total velocity (to be completed in the classroom) : V=distance/average time
River Study Record Sheet
Sample 4:
Roundness
Lower Sackville River Study
AIMS
Knowledge
To identify key geographical features of a river valley and channel
To understand the physical processes that shape and alter river channels and valleys
To investigate the links between velocity, depth, channel width & material
To examine possible links between landscape, tourism, pollution & river management
To collect primary data, which could form the basis of your coursework
Skills
Using appropriate fieldwork techniques
Collecting primary data
Field sketching and observations
Evaluating appropriateness and success of methods
What you should know about rivers before you go
The characteristic features of the 3 Courses of rivers, and their formation
Processes of erosion, transportation and deposition and how they operate in rivers
How different characteristics of rivers (like depth and velocity) are interlinked
Clothing required
 Some shoes you
don’t mind getting
wet
 A change of shoes
 A towel
 Shorts (if warm day)
and a change of
clothing just in case
 Sun cream
River Study Record Sheet
Safety Instructions
 You will be in the river taking measurements so
it is essential that you obey all instructions
from your teacher AT ONCE
 Stick to your measurement area AT ALL TIMES
 DO NOT push people or otherwise mess about in
water; this will result in being reported to the
office
 Take extreme care near river banks, especially
where the ground is steep or wet
 Wear footwear at all times
Lower Sackville River Study
A) ADVANCED PREPARATION
1) You will be placed in a group of 4 or 5
General Observation Sketch
Read over instructions as a class
Each group will need to allocate people to specific roles
There is limited time so you have to work as a team to collect and share the data
B) DATA COLLECTION TASKS
Complete a General Observation sheet
Complete a Data Recording sheet
C) FOLLOW-UP TASKS:
1) Draw cross section
2) Determine the velocity or speed of the river
3) Write up the method for the experiment carried out. This should be set out in
the following format using these headings:
Purpose of the experiment
Equipment used
How did you collect your data? Were you able to collect data successfully? Were
there any difficulties? If so, how could you have done things differently?
Step-by-step description of the river study process. Include failed attempts to
collect the data
4) Self Evaluation
TO BE HANDED IN
□
General Observation Sheet
□
Data collection Sheet
□
Cross section
□
Experiment Write up
□
Self Evaluation Sheet
River Study Record Sheet
Lower Sackville River Study
EQUIPMENT REQUIRED FOR EACH GROUP
General observations and data recording sheets
Tape measure
Pencils
Metre stick
Thermometer
Float (cork)
Stop watches
Rulers
A) MEASUREMENTS – to be recorded on Data Recording Sheet
1. CHANNEL WIDTH
1) Hold or stake the tape measure at one
Equipment
bank
Tape measure
People required
2 + 1 recording
2) Stretch the tape measure tight across
the river channel to the other bank, just
above the water level.
3) Record the width
Tape measure
River
bank
4) Leave the tape in place for the next
river
River
bank
measurement
2. CHANNEL DEPTH
1) At the first bank put a metre stick into
Equipment
the water until it touches bottom
Tape measure
2) Read and record the depth from the
Metre stick
People required
1 + 1 recording
bottom to the surface of the water
3) Repeat at 50cm intervals across the
river, starting at the bank
4) Record the information in the chart
Tape
Metre rule
River bed
3. BANKFULL WIDTH – the maximum volume of water the river channel can hold
1) Have one person place metre sticks at
String pole
Equipment
the clear break in slopes on one side of
Tape measure
the river and one person place a metre
2 Metre sticks
stick at the clear break in slope on the
River
Tape Measure
River
other side
People required
3 + 1 recording
2) Run the measuring tape between the two
sticks at the bottom.
3) Measure distance using tape
River Study Record Sheet
bank
river
bank
Lower Sackville River Study
4. PEBBLE SCORE – this will give an indication of how efficient the river is and what
processes are occurring (e.g. transportation, erosion, deposition)
1) Do this whilst others in the group are
Tape
Equipment
recording
depth
Pebble board
People required
1 + 1 recording
2) Take a sample of 4 stones from the river
bottom at various locations across the
river
3) Make sure that you pick four at random
4) Measure the pebbles in mm and record
results
5) Describe the roundness type of each
6) Replace all rocks back into the riverbed.
Select 4 stones
at different
location across
the river
River bed
5. Temperature
Hold the thermometer in the center of the river for 3min.
6. Velocity
Equipment
Stop watch
Measuring tape
cork
People required
1 + 1 recording
1) Do this at 5 different places across
the river.
2) Have one person stand up stream,
another one stand down stream 2
metres, and a third one on the bank
with the stopwatch.
3) Release the cork and see how long it
takes for the cork to float to the
person down stream.
4) Record the results in the table
River Study Record Sheet
Tape
Flow meter –
propeller up
stream
River bed
Lower Sackville River Study
Self Evaluation
This river study project required you to participate in group work, as well as work
independently. Give yourself a mark out of 4 for each of the statements. Circle the
appropriate number after each statement.
During group and independent work, I stayed on
task.
I participated in the data collection process (Ex.
took measurements, recorded data, took
temperature, etc.)
I did my share of the work.
I was a supportive group member and listened to
others ideas and opinions.
I completed all independent tasks (site sketch,
write up, self evaluation)
Comments:
River Study Record Sheet
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