RIVER TASKS
A: Upper course; V-shaped valleys, interlocking spurs, waterfalls and gorges
1. Upper Course processes & features: add examples in Table 1.
2. V-shaped Valleys and Interlocking Spurs:
a. How many interlocking spurs are shown on fig 1? Number them on the sketch.
b. Add an arrow and a label to show that there is ‘vertical erosion’ and annotation to
describe the shape and characteristics of the channel.
3. Waterfalls and Gorges:
a. Use fig 3 to answer WW p 279 qns 8a and b.
b. See Mapwork Skills p66. Answer Activities 2a-d and 3a-d.
B: Lower Course; Meanders, ox-bow lakes, flood plains, levees and deltas
4. Lower Course processes & features: add examples in Table 1.
5. Meanders and Ox-bow Lakes: (use Sheet 2)
a. Complete fig 4 and label it fully, using fig 15.17, WW p264 to help you.
b. Explain clearly how the river cliff and slip-off slope are formed.
c. Do Activities 1a-d and 3 from Mapskills, p70.
d. Add arrows to fig 5 to show the line of fastest flowing water.
e. Shade the areas of erosion/river cliffs and deposition/slip-off slopes using different
colours. Add a key.
6. Flood Plains, Levées and Deltas: WW p265.
a. Describe the characteristics of a flood plain.
b. Explain how both erosion and deposition have made the flood plain like this.
c. Add the labels; Flood Plain, Levées, Ox-bow lake and Valley sides to Fig 7.
c. Why is the heaviest material deposited first when a river floods?
d. Use p265 to complete sheet 1G ‘Lower Stage of Rivers’.
Quickies? Use the O.S. map of Ambleside to draw a cross-section from 356104 to 374105
to complete fig 2 and show the shape of the valley. Write one sentence to describe the
shape of the valley on your cross-section in as much detail as possible.
See Mapwork Skills, p10 for how to draw cross sections.