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Processes.
2019
Long Profile of a
river.
Processes The greater the discharge, the greater is the river’s energy.
Most erosion occurs when the river is at its bankfull stage, when
the stream is full and have high level of discharge.
There are four main types of river erosion:
1. Attrition: particles of sediments or load of the river (e.g. bedload)
bump into each other and wear each other away.
As a result, river sediment becomes smaller and more rounded as
it is carried downstream.
4. Hydraulic action-The direct force of the flowing river water can break
material from the bed and banks.
The force of the water hits river banks and then pushes water into cracks.
Air becomes compressed, pressure increases and the river bank may in
time collapse.
Near waterfalls and rapids, the force may be strong enough to work on
lines of weakness in joints and bedding planes until they are eroded.
River Erosion
What?
River Transportation-
(2) Saltation (saltated load)= Sand, gravels and small stones are
bounced along the river bed by the flow of water
(3) Traction (tracted load) = Boulders and pebbles are rolled along
the river bed at times of high discharge
River loads It can consist of suspended bed material which is fine to medium
sands, which have come from the river bed. This material such as silts
and clays is light and can be held in suspension.
River What?
Deposition-the progressive laying down of material carried by rivers,
Deposition ice, wind or marine currents and tides.
• Terms:
• Capacity- largest amount of debries that the river can carry for a given
velocity.
• Competence- diameter of the largest particles (size) that can be
carried by a river for a given velocity.