1
Year 4- Investigation : Section 1: The purpose of the Investigation-Introduction
Task Question: Investigate how and why channel characteristics vary across your
chosen river with distance downstream.
Format:
• Font: arial 12 - apart from headings (larger) and annotations (smaller)
• Line spacing: 1.5 (apart from annotations (smaller)
• Left margin: minimum 3 cm
• Number each Figure (map, photo, graph, table) and give it a title (What does it
show?). Label and annotate it.
• Number pages
Section 1: The purpose of the investigation – introduction (6 marks)
(a) Purpose of the investigation
The purpose of the investigation is to study how the channel characteristics of the
Chrysochou River change downstream and to examine the factors which affect these
variations.
(b) Location of the study area
(i) Location of the study area in Cyprus
Write a sentence to locate your study area. Where is it in Cyprus?
Add that it is located between Goudhi and Evretou Dam.
Internet Search: Find a map of Cyprus. You must copy and paste the hyperlink on a separate document
called ‘References’. (See separate handout). Add the map to the section.
2
Figure 1 - Location of the study area in Cyprus.
North
Scale
(ii) Location of the three sites in the study area
Internet Search: Download a satellite image from Google Earth or a map which covers the area between
Evretou Dam and Goudhi (Refer to the map given by your teacher to find the location of the three sites. )
• The name of the river/tributaries
Label the satellite image with:
• The name of the settlements: Goudhi and Skoulli
• The three sites (use a symbol such as a pin)
• Evretou Dam
• The name of the river/tributaries
.
•
The name of the settlements: Goudhi, Skoulli and Polis
•
Evretou Dam
Draw:
•
The river/tributaries
•
The grid references from the map of the area given by your teacher.
3
The rivers Klavaris and Skoulli are tributaries of the River Chrysochou.
(c) The geographical background of the study area: characteristics which may affect the
discharge of the river. To be completed after the fieldtrip
(d) Hypotheses:
We plan to investigate the channel characteristics of the river based on the Bradshaw model.
(i) Investigating how channel characteristics change downstream:
Bradshaw’s model suggests that theoretically there will be:
Describe the changes expected.
Add Figure to show the Bradshaw model (Figure 3). DO NOT copy and paste the
following Figure. Draw your own or find a clear image in the Internet.
4
Figure 3: The Bradshaw model
(ii) Investigating the factors which affect the characteristics of the channel:
Read the theory: Textbook pages 66 and 67. What are the reasons for the expected
changes from the source to the mouth of a river? Write them down using your own
words.
Therefore we expect the following to occur from site 1 to site 3:
a- positive correlation between discharge and river width and depth
b- positive correlation between discharge and velocity
C- negative correlation between discharge and gradient
d- negative correlation between discharge and bed roughness
To be able to support or refute these hypotheses I will:
For each site along the river:
 Measure the velocity of the river
 Measure the width of the river
 Measure the depth of the river
 Measure the wetted perimeter of the river
5
 Measure the gradient of the river
 Measure the roughness of the river
(e) Why is the location of the three sites appropriate?
 The three sites are located at different parts of the river’s course namely upper, middle and
lower, and therefore, show varying channel characteristics.
 Each of the three sites showed contrasting landscapes.
 Data was taken at safe sections of the river under the supervision of three teachers.
 The chosen sites were easily accessible from main roads making them appropriate for
safety reasons.
 At each site the river’s flow was at a safe velocity and depth without any dangerous
hazards.
Create a file for your investigation with a back-up on USB key .
Save each section as a separate document.
Annotate, annotate, annotate… The only way to limit the number of words!
Plagiarism by students is considered a
very serious offense by Edexcel …. And
by your teachers!