River Landforms – Upper Course

Upper
Course

What are the characteristics of:

1. the river and
2. the valley in the Upper Course
Characteristics of the upper course of a river:

1. Lowest volume of water

2. A narrow channel with a steep gradient;
3. The river erodes downwards.
4. This vertical erosion results in a number of
distinctive landforms including:
• V shaped valley cross section
• narrow valley floor
• interlocking spurs
• river’s load is of various sizes and
angular.
How does a v-shaped valley form?

1. Vertical erosion in the river

channel
2. Weathering of the sides of the
valley sides
3. Mass movement of materials down
the valley sides,
4. Material is gradually transported
away by the river.
5. As the river flows through the
valley it is forced to swing from side
to side around more resistant rock
outcrops (spurs).
6. As there is little energy for
lateral erosion, between spurs of
higher land creating interlocking
spurs
Headward Erosion
 So how does a V-shaped valley form?

1. Vertical erosion (in the form of abrasion, hydraulic action

and solution) in the river channel
2. The valley sides are weakened by weathering processes
and continued vertical erosion at the base of the slope.
3. Gradually mass movement of materials occurs down the
valley sides, gradually creating the distinctive v-shape.
4. This material is then gradually transported away by the
river when there is enough energy to do so.
5. As the river flows through the valley it is forced to swing
from side to side around more resistant rock outcrops
(spurs). As there is little energy, the river continues to
cut down vertically flowing between spurs of higher land
creating interlocking spurs.
 Key Terms

• V-shaped Valley – a valley which resembles a 'v'

in cross section. These valleys have steep sloping
sides and narrow bottoms.
• Interlocking Spur - spurs are ridges of more
resistant rock around which a river is forced to
wind as it passes downstream in the upper
course. Interlocking spurs form where the river
is forced to swing from side to side around
these more resistant ridges.
• Load - collective term for the material carried
by a river.
Middle Course Features and Processes
Middle
Course

What are the characteristics of:

1. the river and
2. the valley in the Middle Course
 Formation of meanders

Meander Formation
Riffles
and
Pools
 Formation of Floodplains

• Flat land bordering a river and made up of

alluvium (sand, silt, and clay) deposited during
floods. When a river overflows, the floodplain is
covered with water.