Floodplains [lower course]

- Land on either side of river erode due to heavy rain

- Water loses speed as river spreads out over a larger area
- River deposits the material its carrying onto land
- Alluvium is left behind on river bank and bed
- Coarse sediments deposited closer to river’s edge
- Fine particles deposited further away from river
- Deposited material/alluvium builds up on both sides of as more floods occur
- Wide & flat plains formed on either side of river [floodplains]
- Heavier & coarser materials nearer river form raised banks [levees]

Meanders [middle/lower course]

- river flows over flat land, horizontal erosion takes place
- erosion occurs at outer bank due to less friction => river has more energy
- eroded materials transported in a spiral fashion to the inner bank
- deposition occurs at inner bank as river loses energy due to increased friction
- process repeats itself as river flows downstream
- river become asymmetrical overtime
- outer bank gets undercut, steer-sided river cliff formed
- sediments accumulate & form a slip off slope at inner bank

Deltas [lower course]

- @ river mouth, speed will decrease due to difference in density of river & sea
- energy of river decreases, deposition takes place at river mouth
- If rate of deposition is faster than rate of removal of sediments by tides & waves,
sediments will accumulate & build up at river mouth -> form Delta
- Main river branches out into many subsidiary channels -> distributaries as
sediments block flow of main river

1
Deposition: Delta
Erosion: waterfall, gorges, valleys, floodplains & levees,
Deposition & erosion: oxbow lake & meander

Hydraulic action [fast flowing water]

- rocks & materials along river bed 7 bank loosened & dislodged
Corrasion/Abrasion [rock fragments]
- Grinding action of materials carried by river results in erosion of river bed & banks
Attrition [rock fragments]
- previously eroded materials carried by river collides into each other and are
smoothened, worn down into smaller pieces
Solution [carbonic acid in water] *only in limestone area!
- minerals in rock are dissolved and carried away in solution

Traction
- larger sized materials (boulders, pebbles) roll or slide along river bed
Saltation
- smaller materials (coarse sand particles) move downstream in a bouncing motion
Suspension
- fine particles (silt, clay) carried along river bed without touching river bed
Solution
- running water transports dissolved materials down stream

Volume of Water in river Energy Level

Upper Low - High due to steep gradient

Course not many tributaries
contributing to volume of main
river

High - High de to high volume of

Middle Due to more tributaries water but may be limited due to
Course increased roughness of river

High - Low despite high gradient due

Lower But divided into distributaries to flat land and high wetted
Course perimeter