By the end of this chapter I will be able to: zz zz
describe each of the river processes;
identify features of the landscape formed by rivers from an Ordnance Survey (OS) map, a photograph and a diagram;
zz zz
indicate the stage at which each feature is formed and the dominant process(es) at play during its formation;
describe the formation of at least one feature of both river erosion and river deposition using Irish and/or international examples;
zzexplain how human activities can impact on the operation of river processes.
Rivers play a very important role in shaping the natural landscape. They also influence the living patterns and economic activities of people.
Along their course, rivers gain water from other sources (precipitation, springs, streams) and have many distinctive characteristics, elements or components (Fig. 8.1). These include:
zz zz zz zz zz
zz zz zz
source: the place where a river begins, usually on high ground; tributary: a stream or river that joins a larger one; confluence: the junction where two rivers join;
mouth: the place where a river enters the sea or a lake;
estuary: found at the mouth of the river where the river’s current and the sea’s tide meet – has a mixture of fresh and salt water;
drainage basin: the entire area of land drained by a river and its tributaries;
watershed: an area of high ground that separates one river basin from another;
course: the distance the river travels from its rising at the source to its entry into the sea at its mouth.
Source Confluence
Drainage basin
EXAM TIP Tributary Estuary Mouth Fig. 8.1 Characteristics of a river system. 101
Students are often asked to identify river drainage patterns in Section 1 – the Short Questions section.
Watershed A-Z
Fluvial: Refers to the processes associated with rivers and streams and the deposits and landforms created by them.
