DRAINAGE BASINS AND THEIR MANAGEMENT REVISION GUIDE
TOPIC
KEY CONCEPTS/ KEY QUESTION you should be able to answer/
HINTS and suggestions
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a) The concept of the
drainage basin as a system
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b) Processes in a drainage
basin
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c) Mechanics of a
drainage basin
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LOOK IN…..
TOPIC OUTLINE.
KEY WORDS
MAKE YOUR OWN! Use the
TOPIC OUTLINE
THE DRAINAGE BASIN
KEY WORDS:
Define and delineate (draw the boundaries of ) a drainage basin
and its features (e.g. watershed) on diagrams and maps
Define the terms watershed, perimeter, catchment, drainage
density, stream order and bifurcation ratio.
Calculate drainage density, stream order and bifurcation ratio and
use these measures to compare drainage basins.
Identify different types of drainage patterns.
KEY WORDS:
Define and describe the interaction of the processes in the
hydrological cycle. Interpret diagrams showing these processes on
a flowchart.
Discuss factors that influence the amount of runoff versus
infilitration in a drainage basin and how they affect the shape of the
hydrograph.
Interpret hydrographs
Define river channel variables (e.g. cross sectional area, depth etc)
and other variables which affect channel flow (e.g. hydraulic
radius, Manning’s equation to measure friction) and describe how
these processes interact with each other (relationships between
them).
Explain different ways a river erodes, transports and deposits its
load. Name and define the types of erosion and types of load.
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a) Landforms produced by
erosion and deposition
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b) Flooding as a hazard
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FLUVIAL FEATURES IN THE LANDSCAPE
Interpret the Hjulstrom graph showing the relationship between
velocity and particle size.
Describe (with the aid of diagrams) how the following
landforms are formed by erosion and/or deposition:
 Waterfalls and rapids
 Meanders and oxbow lakes
 Floodplains and levees
 Deltas
Describe the conditions which give rise to braided and
meandering channels and compare them.
Describe and recognize the characteristic landforms at the 3
stages of fluvial development (upper/middle/lower stages)
Describe the impact of changing base levels on a river and the
resultant landforms (e.g. rejuvenation, knickpoints and
terraces)
Define the two types of flooding and the impacts of flooding.
Know recent examples of both types of floods.
Using case studies show how humans increase the hazard of
flooding (e.g. by urbanization, changes in land use and
deforestation)
Describe the hazards associated with flooding and how the
hazard can be reduced. Refer to two case studies in detail.
KEY WORDS:
CASE STUDY 1 :
Name 2 examples of flash
flooding and slow flooding
CASE STUDY 2:
Name examples of where
humans have increased the
hazard of flooding.
***CASE STUDY 3:
Describe the hazards
associated with flooding and
how these hazards can be
been reduced in TWO areas
(MEDC and LEDC)
LEDC: Bangladesh
MEDC: Mississippi Floods
a) Managing the Supply
and Demand for Water
b) Issues with water
utilization
MANAGING THE WATER SUPPLY AND WATER UTILISATION
 What does drainage basin management involve? Describe this
***CASE STUDY 4: The
by using at least one case study.
Merjedba Drainage Basin
 Describe different water management strategies in a one
drainage basin (Case study)
Discuss some issues using water as a resource on a
 Global scale
 Local scale (Tunis)
 Regional scale (Tunisia)
***CASE STUDY 5 :
Local: Water Use in greater
Tunis
Regional: water Management
in Tunis