1. The document defines key terms related to river channel processes including abrasion, attrition, capacity, competence, deltas, discharge, gorges, helicoidal flow, hydraulic action, laminar flow, levees, load, point bars, pools, riffles, river cliffs, solution, turbulent flow, waterfalls, and rapids. 2. It discusses factors that affect rates of erosion in river channels including load, velocity, gradient, geology, pH, and human impact. 3. The main types of river channel flow are laminar, turbulent, and helicoidal flow while channel types include straight, meandering, and braided channels. Meanders have asymmetric cross-sections

1. ASGEOGRAPHYREVISION
HYDROLOGYANDFLUVIALGEOMORPHOLOGY
1.3 RIVERCHANNELPROCESSES

2. KEYTERMSANDDEFINITIONS
Abrasion or corrasion is the wearing away of the bed and bank by the load
carried by a river.
Attrition is the wearing away of the load carried by a river. It creates smaller,
rounder particles.
Capacity refers to the total load that a stream can carry.
Competence refers to the size of the largest particle that a stream can carry.
A delta is a depositional feature formed where a river flows into the sea or a
lake such that the rate of deposition of sediment exceeds the rate of removal
of sediment by marine processes.
Discharge is the volume of water in a river channel passing a certain point
per unit of time. It is usually expressed in cubic metres per second (cumecs).

3. KEYTERMSANDDEFINITIONS
A gorge is a narrow and deep section of a river valley with vertical or near-
vertical valley sides.
Helicoidal flow is a ‘corkscrewing’ motion responsible for the formation of
meanders.
Hydraulic action is the force of air and water on the sides of rivers and in
cracks.
Laminar flow is where water flows in sheets or laminae parallel to the
channel bed.
Levees are raised banks of sediment along a river rising above the level of
the flood plain and created by fluvial deposition. In many cases these natural
levees are enhanced by artificial levees built to prevent flooding.
Load is the particles of sediment and dissolved matter that are carried along
by a river.

5. Laminar flow

6. KEYTERMSANDDEFINITIONS
Point bars are depositional features of rivers formed of well sorted
sediment with a gentle slope on the inside of meanders.
Pools are deep hollows scoured in the bed of a river, typically located
on the outside edge of meanders.
Riffles are small-scale ridges formed of coarse pebbles and cobbles and
found approximately half-way between meanders in the straight
section of a river.
River cliffs are erosional features on the outside of a meander. They are
formed by the undercutting of the river bank by the river current,
which is at its fastest on the outside of a meander. They vary in height
but may be high and have a vertical gradient.

10. KEYTERMSANDDEFINITIONS
Solution is the removal of chemical ions, especially calcium.
Turbulent flow is a chaotic flow that involves eddying and vertical
movement.
A waterfall is a point on a river where the gradient increases to vertical
or near vertical such that the water plunges over the edge. This is
usually a result of the change in resistance of the underlying rocks.
Where the change in gradient is less severe rapids will be formed.
These may also be formed where a river narrows.

14. TOPICSUMMARY
The load of a river varies with discharge and velocity.
The capacity of a stream refers to the largest amount of debris that a
stream can carry.
The competence refers to the diameter of the largest particle that can
be carried.
The critical erosion velocity is the lowest velocity at which grains of a
given size can be moved.
Deposition occurs due to a shallowing of gradient which decreases
velocity and energy; a decrease in the volume of water in the channel;
and/or an increase in the friction between water and channel.
The main types of erosion are hydraulic action, abrasion, attrition and
solution.

16. TOPICSUMMARY
There are a number of factors affecting rates of erosion, including
load, velocity, gradient, geology, pH and human impact.
Global sediment yields vary widely.
There are three main types of flow: laminar, turbulent and helicoidal.
Channel types include straight, meandering and braided.
Braiding occurs when the channel is divided by islands or bars.
Straight channels are rare.
Meanders are complex.
Meanders have an asymmetric cross-section. They are deeper on the
outside bank and shallower on the inside bank. In between meanders
channels are more symmetrical.

18. Cross-section