GCSE Geography B
Fieldwork Enquiry Task for award in 2016
Rivers
These teacher guidance notes have been developed jointly by WJEC and FSC.
Theme Generic task for the
fieldwork Enquiry
2
Investigate the effects of a
river on people.
The tasks are linked to the
following enquiry questions from
the specification
Page in
specification
4.1 What are the processes active
within a drainage basin?
4.5 What effect does flooding have?
18
Developing a Contextualised Title
Centres may provide candidates with an overarching enquiry question, such as:
How does the River Alyn affect landowners / residents of Buckley?
Alternatively, centres may present the task to their candidates as a statement which may be
challenged by the evidence, such as:
Bewdley is more vulnerable to flooding than Shrewsbury.
Rivers affect people in many ways: students could investigate the effects of flooding, or on
water supply, tourism, recreation, industry, or transportation. Four examples of different
approaches are suggested in the tables below. This teacher guide then goes on to examine, in
detail, how students can assess vulnerability of an urban or rural area to river flooding.
Example 1: How has River X affected angling / kayaking / recreational opportunities at Y?
Application
(AO2)
Lower discharge levels in rivers, lower river capacity, and higher pollution
levels.
Ecosystem threats because of low flows, loss of biodiversity.
Examples of
primary data
Velocity, width and depth (for discharge).
Bed load size.
Questionnaires from local angling club, including catch data over the
years. (Kayak club, including how many days the river is ‘up’ for kayaking
on).
Mapping of river’s angling sites / recreational sites
Examples of
secondary data
Discharge data from environment agency. Local rainfall data. Catchment
Abstraction Management Strategy.
Possible useful
resources for
teachers
Catchment abstraction management strategies (CAMS)
http://www.environmentagency.gov.uk/business/topics/water/119927.aspx ****
British Canoe Union http://www.bcu.org.uk/clubs-i-centres/
Example 2: How has the River X affected the land use / land value along the river corridor?
Application
(AO2)
Upper and lower courses of rivers have different characteristics which will
affect the ways humans have interacted with the river.
House prices are affected by externalities (factors external to the value of
the home itself) e.g. attractive views (of a river) can increase house prices
whilst the threat of floods could decrease house prices.
Examples of
geographical
futures (AO2)
Where will homes be built in the UK in the next 20 years? Is it affordable
and sustainable to build on the floodplain?
Examples of
primary data
Land use survey i.e. mapping of land use, estimated economic value,
height above river etc. Bankfull velocity, width and depth for bankfull
discharge levels. Mapping of significant river land forms.
Examples of
secondary data
Business rates information. Industry and business locations along river.
Locations of any flood management, water supply management.
Possible useful
resources for
teachers
http://www.environmentagency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/riverlevels/default.aspx
Current river levels
Example 3: To what extent does River X provide a sustainable ecosystem service to
people?
Application (AO2)
Ecosystems provide ‘key services’ to people living in and around the
ecosystem in a sustainable way. The river provides a water supply for
industry / farming and an ecosystem service relating to discharge
consents e.g. reed bed sewage systems
Examples of
geographical
futures (AO2)
Is soft engineering the best approach to river management? What are its
advantages in controlling floods? What additional key services could
rivers and their ecosystems provide in the future?
Examples of
primary data
Biodiversity survey to look at current water quality, above and below
areas with water discharge consents / farms / industry.
Questionnaire to locals living within the river corridor / local industries.
Examples of
secondary data
Mapping of any discharge consents along the river corridor.
Website, newspaper articles about industry / farming.
Possible useful
resources for
teachers
http://www.rgs.org/OurWork/Schools/Fieldwork+and+local+learning/Field
work+techniques/Ecosystems.htm
Royal Geographical Society Schools fieldwork advice on Ecosystems
http://www.environmentagency.gov.uk/research/library/consultations/122108.aspx
Email link to online public registers of the discharge consents approved
by the Environment Agency
http://www.fba.org.uk/recorders/publications_resources/samplingprotocols/contentParagraph/01/document/CourseInvertSamplingProtocol
.pdf
Collecting freshwater invertebrate samples from the Freshwater
Biological Association.
Example 4: Town X is more vulnerable to flooding than town Y.
Application
(AO2)
Different rivers have different characteristics and different flood events
have different causes/effects linked not only to precipitation but also
catchment management and catchment characteristics.
Examples of
geographical
futures (AO2)
How many properties will be vulnerable to flooding in 20 years if
developers continue to build on the flood plain?
Will flooding become more frequent as a result of climate change?
Examples of
primary data
Land use data. Risk and vulnerability mapping.
Cost benefit of any existing flood defences.
Bankfull data for discharge.
Perception questionnaires of local residents looking at how ready they
are for a flood, how vulnerable they might be.
Geology.
Catchment management plans.
Examples of
secondary data
Flood maps from the environment agency.
Text analysis of newspaper articles of past flooding and responses to the
flood event.
Possible useful
resources for
teachers
Interactive website showing the effects of rising sea levels on rivers.
http://flood.firetree.net/
Explanations of measuring flood likelihood and severity.
http://www.geography-fieldwork.org/riverfieldwork/flooding/stage2.htm
Environment Agency River Catchment plans
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/research/planning/33586.aspx
Environment Agency Flood Risk maps
http://www.environmentagency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/default.aspx
Additional Useful Web-links
http://www.rgs.org/OurWork/Schools/Fieldwork+and+local+learning/Fieldwork+techniques/Rivers
.htm The Royal Geographical Society website, describing river fieldwork techniques
http://www.geography-fieldwork.org/riverfieldwork/flooding/stage1.htm Field Studies Council
Displaying and presenting data in rivers fieldwork:
http://www.geography.org.uk/projects/ks4ict/idea17/#top ***
Past weather data from a range of stations using Google Maps
http://www.wunderground.com/wundermap/
Valuation Agency Site. Council tax and business rates for properties in England and Wales.
http://www.voa.gov.uk/
Postcode code data including, house prices, social grades, crime rates etc.
http://www.checkmyfile.com/postcode-check/SY5-9PR.htm
Maps and air photos using a postcode search. http://www.bing.com/maps/
AO2 Application
The mark scheme criteria for AO2 on page 36 of the specification should be checked
thoroughly when designing the fieldwork enquiry. Candidates need to make a connection
between the specific place they are investigating and the wider concepts, models, theories
or processes of their geographical studies. For example, candidates could:

Apply understanding of river / catchment management strategies to the specific area
of their study.

Apply understanding of processes such as infiltration, interception, peak discharge,
time lag to the specific context of their fieldwork location.
Apply understanding of concepts such as unintended consequence, ‘soft’
engineering, and hazard perception to the specific circumstances of their study.


Compare and contrast findings at the study site to another river with different or
similar risk of flooding. Is their site typical or atypical?
How to encourage independent thought
Time should be allowed for students to become involved in the planning process before the
fieldwork is conducted. Students should be encouraged to contribute to discussions about
data collection and sampling techniques. Student guidance sheets should be designed with
suggestions to prompt independence, for example, whilst all students are involved in some
data collection, students could also be given the opportunity to select one additional data
collection technique or add a question of their own to the common questionnaire.
As well as answering the main contextualised title students could choose from a suggested
selection of guiding questions to investigate the data further. This enquiry provides
candidates with the opportunity to pose questions and consider the strengths and
weaknesses of a number of different types of argument. The most logical place for them to
do this is within their evaluation when they consider how the study could be extended:

Should all homes and businesses in the study area be protected from floods or are
the rising costs too great to protect everyone?

Is it economically sustainable to continue to build hard defences along the River X?

Are we building enough homes in the UK? If not, then is it sustainable to build them
on the floodplain of the River X?
Developing a fieldwork enquiry on flood risk
The set task on rivers for 2016 investigates the impact of rivers on people. One way to
contextualise this task is by investigating the impacts of river floods on a community.
Students may investigate:

The perception of the flood risk

The vulnerability of different land uses to river flooding.
Clearly this task encourages an investigation of the interaction between physical and human
environments and, as such, is quite different to the traditional ‘physical geography’
investigation of the characteristics of a river. However, for those centres who wish to
maintain a ‘traditional’ approach to the investigation, there is plenty of scope for the
collection of primary data of a physical geography nature. The measurement of infiltration,
channel width, depth and discharge (as long as it is safe to do so) are all potentially
appropriate primary data collection techniques.
Students must be involved in primary data collection. Some suggestions are given below.
Clearly, you will want to select a range of data collection techniques that provide
opportunities for your students to meet the criteria of the mark scheme. It is also advised
that, wherever possible, students are given the opportunity to contribute to decision making
about primary data collection i.e. what is collected, how it is collected and sample size.
1.
Infiltration rate experiments. Students could compare infiltration rates on a variety of
soils and land uses within the catchment area of their chosen river to gain an insight
into water movement in the drainage basin. For example, they could compare
infiltration rates (on the same day) on the school playing field, in a ploughed field and
in woodland. If the school has a weather station, then your students could collect
weather data over a period of time. They could repeat infiltration rate tests in the
same land use (e.g. the school playing field) at regular intervals to see the effect of
long periods of rain or drought on infiltration.
2.
Measurements of cross section and discharge in the river, as long as it is safe to do
so, or in a tributary if that offers a more acceptable risk assessment. Students should
measure the cross section right across the channel and include the slopes of the
river channel, river cliff or slip off slope right onto the flood plain. In that way they will
be able to calculate the cross sectional area of water at both low flow conditions and
when the river is at bankfull stage in the safety of the classroom!
3.
Measurements of the height of the river when it was last in flood. Students can
measure the height of debris (such as plastics) that has been caught in trees/shrubs
along the river bank. This evidence can be added to their cross section diagrams and
can be used to show the height of the river (when last in flood) and, therefore, a
calculation of cross sectional area of the river (and wetted perimeter) can be made
for that flood event.
4.
A land use survey of a community close to the river. Students should classify and plot
different land uses on to a base map. They can also annotate field sketches or
photos showing land uses and locations they consider being vulnerable to flooding.
Land use data can be analysed further, after the fieldtrip, with the use of an OS map.
Students can assign each location they have visited with a flood risk index.
This can be calculated by
1. Scoring each land use. For example, score 1 for land uses that are relatively
unaffected by flooding (such as recreational land) through to a score of 5 for
high value land uses such as a High Street chain store. Your students can be
involved in deciding on an appropriate scoring system.
2. Calculating the height of the location above the river (using spot heights /
contours on the OS map).
3. Multiplying land use score by height to give a flood risk index. These index
scores can then be mapped to identify locations at greatest risk, as shown in
Figure 2.
Figure 2 Screenshot of hazard risk map of Taunton produced by students working with FSC
A choropleth map showing presenting similar evidence could be hand drawn.
5.
A survey of flood defences such as embankments, gabions, willow planting, flood walls or
demountable defences. Local residents sometimes complain that flood defences are ugly
and spoil their view of the river. Students could be asked to conduct a bi-polar survey of
the flood defences they see. They could also plot flood defences on to a base map and
annotate photos or sketches of the defences. A simple bi-polar is suggested below:
The flood defence at location (insert OS grid reference ………) is:
1
Attractive
Well maintained
Natural
Blends into the urban environment
2
3
4
5
Ugly
Badly maintained
Unnatural
Stands out in the urban environment
6.
Students who are conducting a perception survey as part of their investigation will need
to either ask questionnaires (with a mixture of closed and open questions) or conduct
longer interviews with local residents, planners, businesses, emergency services etc.
They could use their interviews to investigate a hypothesis such as Newcomers have a
higher perception of flood risk than residents who have lived in the community for longer.
Sources of Secondary Data
Secondary data can be useful in supporting the student’s work. At a simple level it can be used
to support the idea that flooding is a problem in the community under investigation. Newspaper
articles and photos of the river in flood can be used by students in their introduction when setting
out their aims. However, a range of processed and raw secondary data can also be given to the
students for them to select and then process, present and analyse. In doing so, they can add to
their evidence for AO3.
Useful secondary sources of data include:



The Environment Agency, which can be used to find flood risk maps and discharge data;
Websites (such as Geograph or Flickr) showing photos of rivers in flood;
Newspaper articles on the impacts of a recent flood event
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/ - Environment Agency home page
http://www.geograph.org.uk/ - Photographs of every grid square
The following pages include screen shots to show how secondary data from the
Environment Agency could support a study of flood risk near Port Talbot.
Figure 3 Screen shot from Environment Agency locating gauging stations.
Click on the green circle to access
information for that station.
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/riverlevels/120756.aspx
Figure 4 Screen shot from Environment Agency showing ‘live’ discharge data
http://www.environmentagency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/riverlevels/120756.aspx?stationId=4226
Figure 5 Screen shot from Environment Agency showing flood risk near Baglan