2. 5.1 Meet the River Thames
ALL: will be able to identify and locate the main features of a river drainage
basin.
MOST: will be able to describe the main features of a river drainage basin
and begin to identify the factors that increase the risk of flooding.
SOME: will be able to explain how each factor increases the risk of flooding.
3. What is a drainage basin?
A river basin is like a tree. It has lots of small streams at
its source.
These join to tributaries (small rivers) which later join to
the main river.
4. The area where the river begins to
flow is called its source. Usually start
in highland areas.
When small rivers join the main one it
is called a tributary.
Where two rivers meet is called the
confluence.
confluence
5. • A drainage basin is the land drained by a river.
6. • The whole area the river gets its water from is called its catchment.
• All rivers flow to the sea. When a river reaches the sea it is called the
mouth.
• The area of land that may become flooded when the river floods is called
a flood plain.
• The water in the river flows within a channel.
7. River Source Is where the river begins.
River Channel Is where a river flows.
Tributary A small river which flows into
a bigger river.
River Basin Is an area of land drained by
a river and it’s tributaries.
River Mouth Is where the river flows into
a sea or lake.
Watershed The boundary between two
rivers.
The Drainage Basin – Keywords
8. The key features of a drainage basin
Source- The place
where a river
begins
Watershed- The ridge of land
that separates waters flowing to
different rivers
Tributary- A small
river which flows
into a larger river
Confluence- The point where
two rivers meet. How many
confluences are there on this
map?
Mouth- The point
where the river
meets the sea
Sea- The body of
water that a river
flows in to
6
Confluences
10. Catchment
(the area from
which water drains
into a particular
drainage basin)
Tributary
(a river which joins a larger river)
Confluence
(the point at which two rivers join)
Watershed
(the boundary
dividing one
drainage basin
from another)
12. What do you notice about the height of the land as a river
gets closer to the sea?
Watersheds and drainage basins
13. Activities- PAGE 80-81
1. Give 6 facts about the River Thames. Include facts about its length and location in the UK.
2. Why does the river have more water in it when it reaches London, than when it started in the Cotswolds?
3. Why is the water In the Thames in London a bit salty?
4. The Thames pours in 60million cubic meters of water in to the North Sea per day, why does it not run dry?
5. Where is the source of the River Thames?
6. Why does the Thames get much bigger between the source and Henley?
7. Where is the mouth of the Thames?
8. Do rivers really matter to us? Decide and give your reasons.
South of England, passes through London, enters North Sea at the mouth, England’s longest river, 346km
long, many tributaries join the Thames on its journey,
Because more water is added to it from tributaries.
As the tide rises salty water from the North Sea mixes with the Thames making it a bit salty.
Water evaporates from oceans and falls as rain. Some of this rain falls in the Thames keeping it flowing always.
A spring in the Cotswolds
Because 15 tributaries(smaller rivers) join it on its journey
North Sea
Extension challenge:
Do question 2 page 81.
