fluvial landforms
Post on 18-May-2015
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FLUVIAL LANDFORMS
Fluvial Landforms
Erosional landformsDepositional landformsTypes of channelThe long profile
Fluvial Landforms
Two major groups of landforms:
Erosional landformsDepositional landforms
EROSIONALLANDFORMS
DEPOSITIONALLANDFORMS
COMBINED EFFECTS OF EROSION & DEPOSITION
- V-shaped valley Floodplains Pools & riffles
- Interlocking spurs
Levees Meanders & Ox-bow lakes
- Waterfalls Braiding River terraces
- Rapids Delta
- Gorges Alluvial fan
- Potholes
Upper zone: large, angular boulders often block river channels
Produces a large wetted perimeter high friction which uses up much river’s energy
After friction overcome little energy is available for eroding and transporting material
Erosional Landforms: V-shaped valley
Erosional Landforms: V-shaped valley
Steep slope small amt of water can move large boulder with the help of
gravity
After heavy rain or snowmelt material transported
Water flowing between boulders become turbulent dislodging particles increasing transportation
Large amt of large particles mean high rates of abrasion / corassion cutting into channel bed
A river erode vertically by traction or saltation which resulted in a steep-sided valley called a V-shaped valley.
Steepness of valley sides depend of factors such as:
(i) Climate: Rainfall lubricates and increases the weight of hillsides increases discharge which erodes river bed and removes bedload.
(ii) Rock structure: - hard rocks are erosion resistant and produce steep valley- soft rocks give gentler valley
(iii) Vegetation: it helps to bind soil together and keep the hill slope more stable.Interception reduce the amt of rainfall that reaches the soil surface.
Interlocking spurs
It forms because the river is forced to follow a winding course around the protrusions of the surrounding highland, resulting in spurs interlock.
Interlocking spur.
Waterfalls
Is a sudden step in a river’s long profile
Causes the rejuvenation of a river
Angel Falls
Tallest waterfalls in the world
Height: 979 m (3,212 ft)
How?Forms when water flows over sudden change in gradient
The fall is so fast that the water, by hydraulic action erodes rock at the base
The loose material is used as tool to further erode and deepen the base by abrasion to form a plunge pool
The undercutting at the base of the waterfall creates a overhanging cliff, which will eventually collapse.
A waterfall may appear to retreat upstream (headward erosion), leaving a deep sided gorge.
Reasons for change in gradient along the river:
a band of resistant rock lies over a layer of less resistant rock – Niagara Falls on the USA- Canada border
When a fault-line scrap lies across a river – Victoria Falls in Zambia-Zimbabwe, Africa
When a river plunges down the edge of a plateau – Livingstone Falls in Zaire, Africa
Niagara Falls
Victoria Falls
RapidsAre associated with very disturbed turbulent water
Usually occur in the upper coarse of the river where the long profile of the river is steep
Sometimes river on the area with alternating bonds of resistant and less resistant rock
Less resistant rock erodes much faster than the resistant rock by the process of hydraulic action which they create an uneven river bed
Rapids in the Upper Tees Valley
Rapids are mini-waterfalls
Protruding bands of more resistant strata create steps over which rapids fall - the river bed is ungraded
Shallow, slow flowing river due to large amount of friction.
GORGEA deep narrow valley with
almost vertical
wall.
PotholesWhat?
Cylindrical holes drilled into the rock by turbulent high velocity flow.
PotholesHow?
Potholes in the beds of rivers are common feature of rapid abrasion
Vertical eddies may be strong enough to rotate a small pebble, which grinds a hole in the rock.
Overtime, they may widen and join with other potholes to form larger potholes and the whole river is deepened.
It is most active when river levels are high
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