River System, Processes and Landforms

Year 4
River
Systems,
Process and
Landforms
What is a system?
What is a river system?
What does it constitute?
Prior Knowledge Test
Complete it on the task sheet

What is
Hydrological
• It also known as water cycle.
•Cycle?
It is a closed system (inputs
and outputs does not leave
the system)
Drainage Basin
A drainage basin is an area
where precipitation collects and
then drains into a river or sea.
It is part of Hydrological Cyle.
Consequent
Stream:
A stream following
the slope.
Development of
slope may be due to
sudden tectonic
uplift
Subsequent Stream:
A stream that develops later on,
carving the softer rocks and flow at
almost right angle to the original
slope of the land
Hydrological
Cycle and
•Drainage
Inputs Basin
• Movements or Flows
• Outputs
Identify the processes in the diagram.

Recall
• What is a river system?
• Draw a diagram of the hydrological cycle.
Rivers are the most
important agent of
erosion, transportation
and deposition.
Three Subsystems of A
• collecting system (branches): consisting of a
River
network of tributaries in the headwater region,
collects and funnels water and sediment to the
mainstream.
• transporting system (trunk): the main trunk
stream, which functions as a channel way
through which water and sediment move from
the collecting area toward the ocean. (Erosion
and deposition also occur in a river's
transporting system)
• dispersing system (roots): consists of a
network of distributaries at the mouth of a river
(delta), where sediment and water are
dispersed into an ocean, a lake, or a dry basin.
Processes in a
River The four ways of erosion:
• Hydraulic action — the power or
energy of the water takes the load
(rocks/stones in the river) down the
channel
• Attrition — when the rocks/stones
knock into each other or into the bed
and side of the channel, they are
broken down to be carried away
• Abrasion or corrasion — fine
materials, like sand, rub against the
bed or banks of the river, rather like
sandpaper rubbing and then wearing
away the river
• Corrosion — the rock dissolves and is
Processes in a
River The four ways of transportation:
• Traction — when a large load is rolled
downstream by the energy of the water
• Saltation — when a smaller load is
carried by the water, but it is small
enough for it to jump up and down the
river
• Suspension — when fine sand-like
material floats in the river (this makes
the water look darker as you go
downstream)
• Solution - the dissolved load is
transported down as a solution, like
sugar that has been dissolved in water.
Processes in a
River
The third process in the river is deposition. This is when the river does
not have enough energy to transport the load anymore and therefore it
is left, dumped or deposited.
Erosion, transportation and deposition goes hand in hand in a river and
may happen all together depending upon on the stage of the river.
River: Long and Cross
Profile
Recall
• Define an erosional and a transportational process.
• Draw a diagram of the river profile with all its
constituent parts.
Bradshaw Model
• River flows from source to mouth.
• The Bradshaw model shows how the river
channel changes from the source to the
mouth. Natural processes of erosion and
transportation leads to changes.
• As the water flows downstream, more
water enters the main channel from
tributaries.
• As there is more water, there is more flow
and therefore more energy.
• With an increase in energy, or erosional
power, Slope angle (gradient) the river
can change shape, by getting wider and
deeper.
• This also means that the load gets
Riverine
Landforms
https://youtu.be/JqFhmZc5Wis?si=OViS6joS7olg1
Riverine
Landforms
Riverine
Landforms
Drainage Pattern
Dendritic • Irregular branching pattern (tree like) in many
direction.
• It is common in massive rocks and in flat lying
strata
• Due to strong resistance of rocks headward
development of valley is negligible.
Parallel
• Parallel or sub-parallel drainage formed on
sloping surface.
• Common in terrain with homogeneous rocks.
• Development of parallel rills, gullies or narrow
channels are commonly seen on gently sloping
surface
Drainage Pattern
• Streams radiates out from the center of the
topographic high
• common in Volcanic terrain
• Channels marked by right-angle bends

• Commonly due to presence of joints and
fractures in the massive rocks or foliation in
metamorphic rocks
Drainage Pattern
• Rectangular arrangement of channels in which
principal tributary streams are parallel and very
long, like vines trained on a trellis.
• This pattern is common in areas where the
outcropping edges of folded sedimentary rocks,
both weak and resistant, form long, nearly
parallel belts.
• Streams follow nearly circular or concentric

paths along belts of weak rock that ring a
dissected dome or basin where erosion has
exposed successive belts of rock of varying
degrees of erodibility.
Recall
• Write one upstream and one downstream
riverine landform.
• Draw the diagram of a Dendritic Delta.
Hydrograph
A hydrograph is a chart showing the
rate of water flow (discharge) in a river
or stream over time, often used to
analyze flood risk and water availability.
• Rising Limb: The upward slope of
the graph, representing the increase
in river discharge after a rainfall
event.
• Lag Time: The time delay between
peak rainfall and peak discharge,
indicating how quickly water reaches
the river from the surrounding land.
Hydrograph
• A short lag time means water enters

the river quickly, leading to a steep
rising limb on the hydrograph and a
higher risk of flooding.
• Conversely, a long lag time signifies
slower water entry, resulting in a
gentler rising limb and reduced flood
risk.
Activity
• Describe the two hydrographs.

• Explain why the two
hydrographs are different.
• State which hydrograph is
more likely to cause major
flooding in the area. Give
reasons.
Causes of
Natural Causes
Flooding
• Prolonged or Heavy Rainfall: Extended periods of rain increase the
amount of water in the drainage basin and flowing into the river,
leading to potential flooding. Intense rainfall over a short period can
cause rapid flash flooding.
• Rock Type or Geology: Permeable rocks, which have more pores or
cracks, allow water to percolate through, reducing runoff.
Impermeable rocks cause water to run off into rivers quickly,
increasing flood risk.
• Gradient/Relief of the Land: Steep terrain facilitates faster runoff
to rivers, reducing infiltration into the soil and increasing flooding
likelihood.
• Type of Vegetation: Vegetation intercepts rainfall, but areas with
little or no vegetation allow water to drain directly into rivers.
Causes of
Human Causes:
Flooding
Deforestation: Removal of trees
reduces the interception of rainfall.
Lack of Vegetation: Like deforestation,
areas without vegetation experience
more direct runoff.
Urbanization: Development increases
impermeable surfaces, leading to more
runoff.
Changing the River Channel Course:
Modifications like straightening rivers or
cutting off meanders for navigation
reduce the river's capacity, increasing
the risk of flooding.
Thank You

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Year 4

Complete it on the task sheet

Identify the processes in the diagram.

• Channels marked by right-angle bends

• Streams follow nearly circular or concentric

• A short lag time means water enters

• Describe the two hydrographs.

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