Candidate name: Kaheen newton

Candidate number:

School: Manchester high school

School candidate number: 100067

Territory: Jamaica

Year of submission: 2017- 2018

Teacher: MRS Nelson

RIVER
Study of the Rio Minho
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction ………………………………………………………….

Topic of study ………………………………………………………..

Aim ………………………………………………………..

Location of study area ………………………………………………………...

Methodology ………………………………………………………….

Presentation ………………………………………………………….

Conclusion ..................................................................................

Glossary …………………………………………………………..

Appendix …………………………………………………………..

Bibliography …………………………………………………………..
 INTRODUCTION

A river is a body of fresh water that flows through a channel from a source to a mouth .It is divided
into three main stages: The upper course or torrent stage, the middle course or valley stage and the
lower course or plain stage. This project was done on the Rio Minho River. This river is the longest
river in Jamaica and is located in the beautiful parish of Clarendon .Its lateral erosion and
meandering creates interlocking spurs in Lodgie Green.
 TOPIC OF STUDY

Characteristics of the natural systems of the Rio Minho River

 AIM:
To identify and describe the characteristics of the Rio Minho River and examine how these features
vary at each stage of the river.
 LOCATION OF STUDY AREA

River study was done on the Rio Minho River which is located in Clarendon
 METHODOLOGY

WHEN WAS DATA COLLECTED⍰

Data for study was collected on Friday April 13, 2018 from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

WHERE WAS DATA COLLECTED⍰

Data was collected at sections of the Rio Minho in Clarendon. We started at Lodgie green and ended
at Bog.

HOW WAS DATA COLLECTED⍰

It was collected using stopwatch, tape measure, protractor, poles, and meter ruler to calculate
velocity of the river, wetted perimeter, gradient of course, and width. Rock samples were also
collected and grouped base on the characteristics they possess as a result of abrasion and attrition.
 PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA

Site 1~Lodgie green

Lodgie Green is located about 20 miles

from Spaulding .It’s geographical

coordinates are 18° 9' 0" North, 77° 25'

0" West. One of the most significant

features located in the beautiful area of

Lodgie Green is the green and lush

Interlocking spurs which are caused by

meandering and lateral erosion on the

concave or outer side of the meanders. These tributaries meander their way around obstacles;

which create spurs that interlock. A spur is a ridge of island that projects towards a valley.

Agriculture and settlements are also done in the valleys of the area, because of the steep terrain of

the land .It is much easier to construct in the valley bed. Slash and burn is the most common way of

clear the land which is influenced by the structure of the land which would make it difficult to use

machines. Settlements become dispersed because of the farmland where farmers cultivate ground

provisions such as yams where bamboo sticks are used to support them. Sometimes the bamboo

would grow. The growth of bamboo in these areas can be used to distinguish areas where

cultivation such as yams and other ground provisions were taking place.A valley is a low lying
area between two highlands.
There are also eroded areas caused by deforestation. Other human activities done include
construction of roads, infrastructures and installation of services. The picture below shows
settlement pattern in the area.
 SITE 2 ~ UNION GULLY

Union Gully is a cultivated area where the

upper course or torrent stage of the river flows

A broken dam is also located in the area. It

looks like a petite waterfall and has a plunge

pool at its base .A waterfall is the steep fall of a

river where its course is suddenly interrupted

by a break in slope or gradient. The force of the water, the steep drop of

the water creates these pools. A plunge pool is a hallow formed at the base of a waterfall. The

process of traction takes place in this area, as a result large boulders can be seen in the river

channel. Farming is the main economic activity done in the area. The water in the river is used to

water crops. Crops grown include banana and co-co. The land’s terrain is very steep which affects

the river’s velocity making it simple to redirect the water onto the cultivated areas. The river flows

the fastest in this area compared to the other sections of the river channel studied.

The wetted perimeter and the gradient was also done

of this area. Instruments used include poles, tape

measure, protractor with bob of mass. The velocity of a

segment of the river in this area was calculated after

data was collected.

 River velocity

period Time Distance/m

1st 2 min 28 s 10

2nd 3 min 32 s 10

3rd 4 min 15 s 10

Average time =3 minutes 24 seconds or 204 seconds

Velocity = 10m/204s

=0.049 ms -1

Load samples
Rock Classification and Measurements

CLASS 1 CLASS 2 CLASS 3 CLASS 4 CLASS 5 CLASS 6

Very Angular Sub- Sub- Rounded Well-

Angular Angular Rounded Rounded

Long Axes 10.5 cm 7.2 cm 11.9 cm 7.5 cm 9.3 cm 7.2 cm

Middle 6 cm 4 cm 8 cm 4 cm 5.5 cm 5.2 cm

Axes
 SITE 3~COMMISSARY

In this area there are rocks deposited

across the width channel.

These rocks are smaller than the first stop.

Rapids can also be seen. .According to the

book entitled, “Geography for CSEC a rapid is the

shallow sections of a river where water flows quickly

and turbulently over alternative bands of

hard and soft rocks . It is formed as a result of

the difference in hardness of the rock strata. Rapids

can also be formed when a layer of hard rock dips gently

downstream. The middle course of the

river is used in this area for human activities, girls and women
came to this segment of the river to

do their washing while it is used by men to wash cars. One could

say that residents use this water to

fulfil their basic needs when other sources are low .The soap,
disinfectants and bleach leaves foam
that is trapped by obstacles causing algae and fungus to accumulate. The Stream is also wide in

this area .A measuring tape was used to determine the width.

Shrubs are abundant in the surrounding as some amount of

sediments such as sand and gravel. Commissary appears to not

more than twenty metres above sea level. The river down cut

into its channel through vertical erosion and abrasion as a result some areas appear higher than
others.
 River velocity

Period Time/s Distance/m

1st 9 10

2nd 11 10

3rd 10 10

Average= 10 seconds

Velocity= 10m/10 s

=1ms-1

Load samples

Rock Measurements

CLASS 1 CLASS 2 CLASS 3 CLASS 4 CLASS 5 CLASS 6

Very Angular Sub- Sub- Rounded Well-

Angular Angular Rounded Rounded

Long Axes 9.2 cm 4 cm 4.6 cm 7.5 cm 8.5 cm 4.5 cm

Middle 5.9 cm 2.9 cm 2.5 cm 5.3 cm 6.7 cm 3.9 cm

Axes
 SITE4~BOG
Bog is located in the lower course of the river. It is

very flat when compared to the other stops made.

Volumes of sediments accumulate and are deposited

in this area. In geographical terms this is called a

flood plain. A flood plain is an area of almost flat

land at the mouth of the river .Some of the

sediments deposited include sand and small light

pebbles. It is observed that there are little to no large

sediments deposited as a result of attrition. In

attrition river load knock against one another and break down into smaller pieces. The river

flows the slowest and the energy is low when compared to the other stops made such as union

gully where the gradient of the land results in in the river flowing the fastest and commissary

where the river flows faster how it flows at bog. Manufacturing and production is the main

economic activity. Residents collect the sand and pebbles and process the at mills to make

gravel and asphalt which is then stored for sale.

Farming is also done in the area. The force the

of the channel erodes rocks and sediments are

deposited in river load. These minerals makes the

soil excellent for farming. Sugar cane is the main

crop grown here.

 Rock Measurements

CLASS 1 CLASS 2 CLASS 3 CLASS 4 CLASS 5 CLASS 6

Very Angular Sub- Sub- Rounded Well-

Angular Angular Rounded Rounded

Long Axes 9.6 cm 6.3 cm 8.7 cm 8.5 cm 10.8 cm 11.3 cm

Middle 4.4 cm 4.3 cm 6 cm 2 cm 7.5 cm 9.5 cm

Axes