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Discover River Landforms: Waterfalls, Gorges, and Oxbow Lakes for Kids!

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skye x

17/09/2023

Geography

River Landforms

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Geography

Discover River Landforms: Waterfalls, Gorges, and Oxbow Lakes for Kids!

River Landforms: Formation of Erosional and Depositional Features

This guide explores the formation of key river landforms in different courses of a river, including:

  • Waterfalls and gorges in the upper course
  • Interlocking spurs in the upper course
  • Meanders in the middle course
  • Oxbow lakes in the middle course
  • Floodplains and levees in the lower course

Key processes of erosion and deposition are explained, along with step-by-step diagrams illustrating landform development.

...

17/09/2023

972

Formation of a Waterfall and Gorge River Landforms Waterfalls are formed in the upper course of a river in areas where hard, resistant rock

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Formation of Oxbow Lakes, Floodplains and Levees

Oxbow Lake Formation

Oxbow lakes form in the middle course of a river through the following steps:

  1. Erosion increases the curve of an existing meander
  2. The river begins to erode a new, straighter channel across the meander neck
  3. The river starts flowing through this new, shorter route
  4. Deposition cuts off the old meander from the new channel, forming an oxbow lake

Vocabulary: Oxbow lake - A U-shaped lake formed when a meander is cut off from the main river channel.

Floodplain Formation

Floodplains develop in the lower course of a river:

  1. During floods, the river erodes valley sides, removing features like interlocking spurs
  2. Simultaneously, the river deposits sediment carried from upstream
  3. This process creates a wide, flat floodplain with gentle valley sides

Highlight: Floodplains are important agricultural areas due to the fertile soil deposited during floods.

Levee Formation

Levees are natural embankments formed along river banks in the lower course:

  1. When a river floods, it loses energy as it spreads over the floodplain
  2. Larger sediment is deposited close to the river banks
  3. Finer sediment is carried further and deposited on the floodplain
  4. Over time, sediment builds up along the banks, creating natural levees
  5. With each flood, the levees are built higher

Definition: Levees are raised banks along a river formed by the deposition of sediment during floods.

Example: The Mississippi River in the United States has extensive natural levees that have been reinforced with artificial levees to protect surrounding areas from flooding.

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Geography

Discover River Landforms: Waterfalls, Gorges, and Oxbow Lakes for Kids!

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skye x

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River Landforms: Formation of Erosional and Depositional Features

This guide explores the formation of key river landforms in different courses of a river, including:

  • Waterfalls and gorges in the upper course
  • Interlocking spurs in the upper course
  • Meanders in the middle course
  • Oxbow lakes in the middle course
  • Floodplains and levees in the lower course

Key processes of erosion and deposition are explained, along with step-by-step diagrams illustrating landform development.

...

17/09/2023

972

 

11/10

 

Geography

41

Formation of a Waterfall and Gorge River Landforms Waterfalls are formed in the upper course of a river in areas where hard, resistant rock

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Formation of Oxbow Lakes, Floodplains and Levees

Oxbow Lake Formation

Oxbow lakes form in the middle course of a river through the following steps:

  1. Erosion increases the curve of an existing meander
  2. The river begins to erode a new, straighter channel across the meander neck
  3. The river starts flowing through this new, shorter route
  4. Deposition cuts off the old meander from the new channel, forming an oxbow lake

Vocabulary: Oxbow lake - A U-shaped lake formed when a meander is cut off from the main river channel.

Floodplain Formation

Floodplains develop in the lower course of a river:

  1. During floods, the river erodes valley sides, removing features like interlocking spurs
  2. Simultaneously, the river deposits sediment carried from upstream
  3. This process creates a wide, flat floodplain with gentle valley sides

Highlight: Floodplains are important agricultural areas due to the fertile soil deposited during floods.

Levee Formation

Levees are natural embankments formed along river banks in the lower course:

  1. When a river floods, it loses energy as it spreads over the floodplain
  2. Larger sediment is deposited close to the river banks
  3. Finer sediment is carried further and deposited on the floodplain
  4. Over time, sediment builds up along the banks, creating natural levees
  5. With each flood, the levees are built higher

Definition: Levees are raised banks along a river formed by the deposition of sediment during floods.

Example: The Mississippi River in the United States has extensive natural levees that have been reinforced with artificial levees to protect surrounding areas from flooding.

Formation of a Waterfall and Gorge River Landforms Waterfalls are formed in the upper course of a river in areas where hard, resistant rock

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Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Formation of Waterfalls, Gorges and Interlocking Spurs

Waterfall and Gorge Formation

Waterfalls form in the upper course of rivers where hard rock overlays softer rock. The process involves:

  1. Erosion of soft rock by attrition, abrasion and hydraulic action
  2. Formation of a plunge pool and hard rock overhang
  3. Deepening of the plunge pool into a steep-sided gorge
  4. Breaking off of the hard rock overhang
  5. Upstream retreat of the waterfall as the process repeats

Vocabulary: Attrition - Erosion caused by particles in the water colliding with each other and the riverbed.

Vocabulary: Hydraulic action - Erosion caused by the sheer force of water against the riverbed and banks.

Interlocking Spur Formation

Interlocking spurs also form in the upper course through the following process:

  1. The river winds around hard, resistant rock
  2. Soft, less resistant rock is eroded away
  3. Remaining hard rock forms interlocking spurs in a zig-zag pattern

Highlight: Interlocking spurs resemble interlocking teeth, creating a distinctive landscape feature in the upper course of rivers.

Meander Formation

Meanders develop in the middle course of a river where:

  1. The channel becomes deeper and wider due to vertical and lateral erosion
  2. Reduced friction allows the river to move faster with more energy
  3. Faster flow on the outside bend causes more erosion, forming river cliffs
  4. Slower flow on the inside bend leads to deposition, creating slip-off slopes

Definition: Slip-off slopes are gently sloping banks formed by deposition on the inside of a river bend.

Example: The classic meander shape can be seen in many rivers worldwide, such as the horseshoe bend of the Colorado River in Arizona.

Can't find what you're looking for? Explore other subjects.

Knowunity is the #1 education app in five European countries

Knowunity has been named a featured story on Apple and has regularly topped the app store charts in the education category in Germany, Italy, Poland, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Join Knowunity today and help millions of students around the world.

Ranked #1 Education App

Download in

Google Play

Download in

App Store

Knowunity is the #1 education app in five European countries

4.9+

Average app rating

17 M

Pupils love Knowunity

#1

In education app charts in 17 countries

950 K+

Students have uploaded notes

Still not convinced? See what other students are saying...

iOS User

I love this app so much, I also use it daily. I recommend Knowunity to everyone!!! I went from a D to an A with it :D

Philip, iOS User

The app is very simple and well designed. So far I have always found everything I was looking for :D

Lena, iOS user

I love this app ❤️ I actually use it every time I study.