River Cues

River Details

All rivers start at the highest point in an area. As the river flows downstream, it gains more water from other streams, rivers, springs, added rainfall, and other water sources.

What is a River?

A river is freshwater flowing across the surface of the land, usually to the sea. Rivers flow in channels. The bottom of the channel is called the bed and the sides of the channel are called the banks.

How are Rivers formed?

When one stream meets another and they merge together, the smaller stream is known as a tributary. It takes many tributary streams to form a river. A river grows larger as it collects water from more tributaries along its course. The great majority of rivers eventually flow into a larger body of water, like an ocean, sea, or large lake. The end of the river is called the mouth.

What do Rivers provide?

Most settlements were built along major rivers. Rivers provide us with food, energy, recreation, transportation routes, and of course water for irrigation and for drinking.

Where is the SOURCE of a River?

Every river has a 'source', a place where the river begins its journey. Water flows faster near the source. The source of a river is usually found in high places such as hills or mountains. A river can have more than one source.

DIFFERENT TYPES Springs Rainfall and Melting Snow

DIFFERENT TYPES OF SOURCES Some rivers begin where a natural spring releases water from underground. Some rivers begin in mountains or hills, where rain water or snowmelt collects and forms small channels, . At first, the channels are small and are called rills. As more water enters the channels they grow forming gullies (larger channels). The streams in the gullies eventually become big enough to form a river. The source of some rivers is a lake. The source of the River Nile is Lake Victoria, in Burundi.

Lakes

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Bogs

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In some places, rain water can't sink into the ground as the ground is too wet already. The water forms a bog. The water flows out of the bog to form lakes and streams. WHY ARE RIVERS IMPORTANT Rivers carry water and nutrients to areas all around the earth. They play a very important part in the water cycle, acting as drainage channels for surface water. Rivers drain nearly 75% of the earth's land surface.

IMPORTANCE Water

Habitats

Rivers provide excellent habitat and food for many of the earth's organisms. Many rare plants and trees grow by rivers. Ducks, voles, otters and beavers make their homes on the river banks. Reeds and other plants like bulrushes grow along the river banks. Other animals use the river for food and drink. Birds such as kingfishers eat small fish from the river. In Africa, animals such as antelopes, lions and elephants go to rivers for water to drink. Other animals such as bears catch fish from rivers. River deltas have many different species of wildlife. Insects, mammals and birds use the delta for their homes and for food.

Transport

Rivers provide travel routes for exploration, commerce and recreation.

Farming

River valleys and plains provide fertile soils. Farmers in dry regions irrigate their cropland using water carried by irrigation ditches from nearby rivers.

Energy

Rivers are an important energy source. During the early industrial era, mills, shops, and factories were built near fast-flowing rivers where water could be used to power machines. Today steep rivers are still used to power hydroelectric plants and their water turbines.

STAGES YOUNG or

Nearly all rivers have an upper, middle, and lower course.

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Upper Course

River Details
The beginning of a river, when it flows quickly with lots of energy, is called a young river. The river here is smaller and usually has a rapid, tumbling flow that cuts a narrow channel through rocky hills or mountains. The fast flowing river can create waterfalls where it carves out layers of soft rock and leaves a cliff of hard rock standing.

MIDDLE AGED or Middle Course

The middle of a rivers journey, when it gets wider and slows down, is called the middle age. Rivers often meander (follow a winding path) along their middle course. The current of the river no longer has the force to carry stones or gravel. This material drops to the riverbed, where it forms bars of sand or gravel or builds islands.

OLD AGE or Lower Course

When the river reaches the end of its journey, it is called an old river. The end of the river is called the mouth. At the mouth, there is often a river delta, a large, silty area where the river splits into many different slow-flowing channels that have muddy banks.

FEATURES Erosion As a river flows, the force of its moving water washes away loose soil and pieces of rock. In this way the river cuts its own channel in the ground. The process of wearing away rocks is called erosion.

Gorge

A gorge is a steep-sided river valley which is very narrow and deep.

Meander

A meander is a bend in a river.

Mouth

At its mouth, the river flows into another body of water. The mouth may be where the river meets the sea, a lake or a larger waterway. Most rivers flow out into the sea, and this is where they end their journey.

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Estuary

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If a river has a wide mouth, this is called an estuary. An estuary has a mixture of salty and fresh water. The fresh water from the river extends out into the sea. Some of the salty water from the sea travels up the river mouth. This mixture of salt and fresh water is called brackish water. The river carries a lot of sediment as it travels from its source to its mouth. When the fresh water from the river meets the salty water from the sea, the river drops its sediment. Most is then washed away by the sea, the river and the tides.

Dams

A dam is a barrier (wall) of earth, concrete or rock built across a river to restrict the flow of water

Lock

A lock and weir system is needed where the river bed is steep and the water flows too quickly.

Flood Plain

The floodplain is the flat land of the river valley close to the river banks. The floodplain is usually found in the lower course of a river. It is a fertile area of land, used for agriculture and growing crops.

POLLUTION

Many towns and factories are built near rivers so that they can use water from the river. But sometimes the water is not cleaned before it is put back into the river. This dirtying of water (also air and soil) is called pollution. Rubbish like chip packets, newspapers and bags. Oil and poisonous substance Cans, bottles and other solid objects Human waste / excrement

FORMS

CAUSES Agriculture Farmers put fertilizers and pesticides on their crops so that their crops grow better. But these fertilizers and pesticides can be washed through the soil by rain, to end up in rivers. Fertilizers and pesticides are harmful because they cause algae to grow. The algae then destroy water plants.

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Factories

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Factories use water from rivers to power machinery or to cool down machinery. Dirty water containing chemicals is put back in the river. Water used for cooling is warmer than the river itself, and this is also a form of pollution.

People

People are sometimes careless and throw rubbish such as bottles and crisp packets directly into rivers.

EFFECTS

Pollution kills water plants and animals. Polluted water also carries diseases. When animals drink the water, they may get diseases which can kill them. People can even get these diseases by eating the infected animal. This happens a lot in poor countries in Africa where people get untreated water directly from the river. Rivers look unsightly when there is rubbish in them and can smell badly.

TRIVIA Longest river in the world Shortest River in the world Biggest River in the world River Nile - It measures 6,695 kilometers from its source in Burundi, along the White Nile, to its delta on the Mediterranean Sea. Officially, the shortest river is the D River, Lincoln City, Oregon, which is just 37 meters (120 feet)long. measured by the amount of water that flows down it, is the Amazon. On average 120,000 cubic meters (about 20 swimming pools' worth) of water flows out of its mouth every second.

Chart of Longest Rivers of the World

http://www.chiddingstone.kent.sch.uk/homework/rivers/longest.htm

Summary

River Cues

River Details