Rivers, Floods and Management – Unit 1 sample

(a) Figure 1 shows part of the course of the Yellowstone River, Montana, USA

(i)Describe the channel characteristics shown in Figure 1. (4)

(ii) Outline physical factors that might affect the discharge of rivers such as that in Figure 1. (4)

(b) Contrast the channel shapes and comment on the relative efficiency of the two river cross-sections. (7)

(c) Describe and explain the development of meanders. (15)

Rivers, Floods and Management – Unit 1 Extra Materials

(a) Outline the factors that cause rivers to deposit their load. (4)

(b) When a river is flowing round a bend it is more likely to deposit on theinside of the bend rather than on the outside. Explain why. (4)

(c) Study Figure 1 and Figure 2. The photographs show the bridge in Vaisonla Romaine, a village on the edge of the French Alps.

About 10 years ago the bridge had to be rebuilt after being destroyed by aflood.

Suggest why the nature of this river valley and the location of the bridgecombined to cause the bridge to be destroyed. (7)

(d) With reference to one or more examples that you have studied, discussalternative ways of managing flood plains to reduce the risks to settlementsfrom flooding. (15)

Rivers, Floods and Management – June 2009

1 (a) Outline the ways in which a river transports its load. (4)

(b) Using Figure 1, describe the relationship between velocity and load size for theprocess of erosion. (4)

(b) Figure 2 shows potholes; landforms resulting from fluvial erosion. (4)

(c) Describe these potholes and explain their formation. (7)

(d) Describe and explain the formation of landforms resulting from rejuvenation. (15)

Rivers, Floods and Management – Jan 2010

1(a) Study Figure 1 (next page) which is an Ordnance Survey map extract of part of the valley of the River Dee in Dentdale, North Yorkshire.

Describe the long profile of the River Dee from one of its sources at 775833 to the bridge in Dent at 707872. (4)

Contrast the cross profile of the valley occupied by the river at 775851 (Dee SideHouse) with that at 715868. (4)

(b) Explain why a river valley changes in its cross profile downstream. (7)

(c) Compare and comment on the economic and social effects of flooding in two contrasting areas of the world. (15)

Fig 1 for use with previous page

Rivers, Floods and Management – June 2010

1 (a) Describe how water reaches a river channel in a drainage basin. (4)

1 (b) Shawbury is situated in the drainage basin of the River Severn.Information on rainfall for two separate periods is shown in Figures 1a

and 1b.1 (b) (i) Draw sketch hydrographs on Figures 1a and 1b to show the contrasting effects of each of the two rainfall periods on river discharge. (3 marks)

1 (b) (ii) Suggest reasons for the differences in the shapes of the hydrographs that you have drawn in 1(b)(i). (3)

1 (c) Study Figure 2 which shows an area of deciduous forest.

1 (c) Explain likely effects of the forest on river discharge. (5)

1 (d) Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of hard engineering as a flood management strategy. (15)

Rivers, Floods and Management – Jan 20111 (a) (i) What is meant by the term ‘magnitude’ of a flood? 2 marks

1 (a) (ii) Study Figure 1 which shows the predicted return period of flood events for the River Ouse at York.

A ii) Summarise the information shown in Figure 1. 3 marks

0

1 (b) Study Figure 2 which shows part of the Cuckmere River in East Sussex.

1 (b) (i) Describe the landforms shown in Figure 2. 4 marks

1 (b) (ii) Flooding is important in the formation of some river landforms. With the help of Figure 2, describe the role of flooding in the formation of river landforms. 6 marks

1 (c) Channel characteristics such as cross profile, wetted perimeter, hydraulic radius, roughness and efficiency change downstream.

Describe and explain how channel characteristics change downstream. 15 marks

Rivers, Floods and Management – June 2011

1 (a) (i) Study Figure 1 which shows a river in the Glens of Antrim, Northern Ireland.

Label Figure 1 to describe the characteristics of the landforms shown. (4 marks)

1 (a) (ii) Explain the formation of the landforms shown in Figure 1. 7 marks

1 (b) Explain one way in which people can cause flooding. 4 marks

1 (c) ‘Soft engineering is a better river flood management strategy than hard engineering.’ Discuss this view. 15 marks

Rivers, Floods and Management – Jan 2012

1 (a) Study Figure 1 which shows the water balance for Birmingham, England.

1 (b) (i) Draw a labelled sketch plan to show the characteristics of the Mississippi delta. 4 marks

1 (b) (ii) Explain the formation of deltas. 7 marks

1 (c) Assess the relative importance of physical and human causes of river flooding. 15 marks

Rivers, Floods and Management – June 2012

1 (a) Describe how a river erodes material from its bed and banks. 3 marks

1 (b) (i) Outline the cause(s) of rejuvenation. 2 marks

1 (b) (ii) Study Figure 1 which is a map and a cross section of the valley of the River Wear near Durham.

Describe the incised meander shown in Figure 1 and explain the formation of this landform. 6 marks

With the help of Figure 2, explain why floods occurred in Pakistan in August 2010. 4 marks

1 (d) With reference to one case study, discuss the impact of flooding on people and the environment. 15 marks

Rivers, Floods and Management – Jan 2013

(a) Describe different types of load a river carries. [4 marks]

(b) Study Figure 1 which shows the Hjulstrom curve.

(b) (i) State the velocity at which particles of clay of 0.001 mm are eroded and the velocity at which pebbles of 10 mm are deposited. Clay particles of 0.001 mm are eroded at ....................... cm/sec. Pebbles of 10 mm are deposited at .............................. cm/sec. (2 marks)

(b) (ii) Describe the relationship between velocity, load size and transportation. [ 3 marks]

(c) Study Figure 2 which is an extract from a newspaper article about flooding in Cornwall, in November 2010.

Using Figure 2, describe and comment on the different impacts of flooding. [ 6 marks]

(d) Describe how and explain why fluvial (river) landforms change downstream. [ 15 marks]

Rivers, Floods and Management – June 2013

(a) (i) Define the term ‘magnitude-frequency analysis’ of flood risk. [2 marks]

(a) (ii) Figure 1 shows information on levels of the River Ouse at the Foss Barrier on 14 April 2011.

Comment on the usefulness of the information in Figure 1 with reference to magnitude-frequency analysis of flood risk. [3 marks]

(b) Study Figure 2 which shows a flood management strategy.

(b) (i) Using Figure 2 only, describe this flood management strategy. [4 marks]

(b) (ii) Comment on advantages and disadvantages of this flood management strategy. [6 marks]

(c) Physical factors are more important than human factors in affecting river discharge. Discuss this view. [15 marks]

Rivers, Floods and Management – June 2014