1. Topic: Rivers 2
1. Formation of River
Landforms
I. Upper Course:
a) Valleys
b) Gorges Formed by Erosion
c) Waterfalls
II. Middle Course:
a) Meanders Formed by Erosion &
Deposition
III. Lower Course:
a) Meanders
b) Floodplains
Formed by Deposition
c) Deltas
1
9. Side View Front View of Waterfall
1. 2.
Waterfall retreats backwards
Soft
rocks
Hard
rocks
Soft
rocks
3. 4.
Waterfall retreats backwards
A gorge is formed
10. Formation of Gorges (Method 2)
1. As the soft rocks at the base of the waterfall
get undercut by the river water,
2. the tip of the waterfall loses support beneath
and collapses into the water.
3. Overtime, the cycle repeats and the waterfall
retreats backwards
4. leaving behind a deep, narrow and steep‐
sided valley called a Gorge.
12. 1. 2.
Soft rock Soft rock
Hard
Hard rock Soft
rock
Soft rock rock
3. 4.
Waterfall
Soft
Soft rock rock
Plunge
Hard rock Hard rock Soft Pool
Soft
rock
rock
13. 2.3 Formation of a Waterfall
1. As rivers flow through bands of hard and soft rocks.
2. Softer rocks gets eroded faster than the hard rocks.
3. This causes the gradient to steepen.
4. Over time, the river plunges from a great height, hitting
the base with great force.
5. This sudden, steep vertical flow of fast moving water
from a great height is called a waterfall.
6. Repeated pounding of the water against the water bed
7. will create a depression at the base of the waterfall called
a plunge pool.
16. 1. 2. Deposition
Outer Inner convex (D)
concave bank Erosion
bank (E)
River D
Outer
Inner convex Cliff
concave
bank E
bank
Outer Slip‐off
concave Inner convex D slope
bank bank
3. Separated 4.
Ox-bow
by a narrow
lake
D neck
E D
Legend
Cut-off
Erosion D
Deposition
17. 2.4 Formation of Meanders
1. As a river flows around a bend, river speed is faster on the outer
concave bank.
2. Hence, erosion by undercutting occurs.
3. Over time, a steep‐sided bank called a RIVER CLIFF is formed on the
outer bank.
4. As the river speed is slower on the inner convex bank, deposition
occurs.
5. Over time, a gentle SLIP‐OFF SLOPE is formed on the inner bank.
6. With repeated erosion and deposition, the meander becomes
more and more pronounced, eventually separated by a narrow
neck.
7. Eventually, the river breaks through the neck and flows in a
straight channel.
8. The cut‐off forms an ox‐bow lake.
23. 1. 2.
Heavy and continuous rain, Finer load
river overflows its banks
Coarser
load
3.
Floodplain
Levee
24. 2.5 Formation of Floodplain and Levees
1. After a heavy and long period of rain, the river may
overflow its banks causing a flood.
2. As the water spreads over a larger area, the
friction increases causing the river lose energy and
deposit its load.
3. The coarser and heavier sediments are deposited
on the immediate river banks whereas finer and
lighter sediments are carried further away.
4. Over a series of floods, these layers of sediments
forms a floodplain and the coarser materials that
have accumulated on the immediate banks form
Levees.
26. 1. 2. Land Sea
Land Sea
River River
Distributaries
3. Land Sea
River Delta
27. 2.6 Formation of a Delta
1. When river enters a larger water body such as a
sea, its speed of flow and hence river energy is
reduced. Hence, it starts to deposit its load.
2. At the river mouth, heavier sediments such as
sand is deposit close to the shore whereas lighter
sediments such as silt and clay are carried further
out before being deposited.
3. The layers of deposition at the river mouth block
the flow of water into the sea, hence the river
branches out into smaller streams called
distributaries.
4. Over time, an extensive depositional landform
called a delta is formed at the river mouth.