This document discusses river landforms in the upper course of a river. It begins by explaining that river landforms are shaped by the geology of an area and river processes. The dominant process in the upper course is erosion, which cuts down vertically to form a V-shaped valley. One landform discussed is interlocking spurs, which are areas of resistant rock that the river bends and winds around, leaving protruding areas of hard rock between indentations eroded into softer rock. Another landform is waterfalls and gorges, which form where there are bands of hard and soft rock. Waterfalls erode upstream over time, deepening plunge pools and forming steep rock walls of a gorge as the waterfall retreats

2. Landforms of a river

3. River Landforms in the Upper Course
All landforms along a river are the result of the
geology of an area and the impact of river
processes.
What are the dominant river processes in the
upper course?
Erosion is the main process in the upper course
and cuts down vertically to form a V shaped
valley.

4. River Landforms in the Upper Course

5. 1. Interlocking Spurs
• The river erodes vertically by hydraulic action
(and some abrasion)
• It winds and bends to avoid
areas of harder rock as it
cannot erode through them.
• These more resistant
areas of rock form
spurs, which can often
interlock.

6. 1. Interlocking Spurs
• The river erodes vertically by hydraulic action
(and some abrasion)
• It winds and bends to avoid
areas of harder rock as it
cannot erode through them.
• These more resistant
areas of rock form
spurs, which can often
interlock.

7. On the photo add lines and then label the
interlocking spurs. This has been started below
…
Inter locking spur

8. 2. Waterfall and Gorges

9. Waterfall video
here

10. Cut out the diagrams and work out the
correct order for the 4 diagrams
a
b
c d

11. Let’s check:
Waterfall & Gorge formation
1) Original river /
waterfall
Hard rock (Whinstone)
Soft rock
Hydraulic action
Abrasion

12. Waterfall & Gorge formation
2) Waterfall starts to erode
Overhang
Undercutting
Cracks appear
Plunge pool deepened

13. Waterfall & Gorge formation
3) Waterfall overhang
Overhang collapses
Plunge pool filled in
Abrasion

14. Waterfall & Gorge formation
4) Waterfall retreats
Waterfall retreats upstream
Gorge forms
Steep sides

15. E.g. High Force

16. E.g. High Force
• High Force is on the River Tees, North East
England.
• Area has 800mm of rain a year
• It is 21m high
• Whinstone is the harder rock and limestone
underneath as the softer rock.

19. TASK:
• In 2/3s use the play-doh to make a waterfall!
• Make sure that you label it’s features clearly
and EXPLAIN how it forms, (E.G. GRAVITY,
OVERHANG, HYDRAULIC ACTION)
• Take a photo on your iPad and upload it on to
Showbie so I can see it – print off at home and
stick into your book too

21. Homework
• Find and print off a photo of a waterall (be
selective as you want a good photo e.g. of High
Force Waterfall) and label the following parts of it
by hand and stick it into your exercise book
• Less Resistant Rock
• Plunge Pool
• Resistant rock
• Undercutting
• Overhang
• Gorge

22. Watch this
• Watch all the 7 episodes on the YouTube
playlist below about the river Tees in North
East England.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3m0Hzy
NJE0&list=PL4bINZBFxm3lSAa8d9eLEMhF6pv
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