1. River Transportation and Deposition

2. Sec Page
Load
Dissolved load
Suspended load
Bed load
Competency
Capacity
Deposition

4. A. Zone of Erosion C. Zone of Deposition V-shaped B. Zone of Transport
Headwaters
V-shaped
steep gradient
Down-cutting/vertical erosion
Rapids & waterfalls
Boulders
Friction slows flow
C. Zone of Deposition
Mouth of river
depositing sediment in deltas
U-shaped, wide, smooth channel
low gradient, flood plain, levees
Low friction so high velocity,
high discharge
B. Zone of Transport
Asymmetrical channels
Meanders
Lateral erosion
Cut banks
River cliffs

5. Dissolved (in solution) load composed of… Suspended load made up of…
Bed load made up of…..
Salt, calcium ions
Silt, clay and fine sand
Pebbles, cobbles, boulders
Dissolved: slat, calcium ions, Suspended: silt, clay fine sand, Bed load: pebbles, rocks, boulders
ES1303

6. How will each material be transported
How will each material be transported? bed load, suspension or as dissolved load?
Clay
Boulders
Calcium ions
Pebbles
Silt
Coarse Sand
Magnesium ions
Fine Sand
Suspension
Bed load
Solution
Bed load*
Suspension*
suspension
* Depends upon the velocity of the river.

7. Interpreting Graphs page 297
What particle stays in
suspension at the slowest
stream speed?
2. What is the minimum speed
needed to carry a boulder
in suspension?
Name all the particles that would be in suspension in a stream moving at 100 cm/sec.
1. Clay cm/s clay, silt, sand, pebbles larger diameter – higher the velocity needed to keep it in suspension
4. Describe in words the
relationship between particle
diameter and the velocity of
stream flow needed to keep the
particle in suspension.

8. Competency The maximum SIZE of particles that a stream can transport
The higher velocity of the water, the greater the competency

9. Capacity The maximum AMOUNT of load a stream can carry
The more discharge, the greater the capacity
Sediment laden stream in Madagascar

10. As the water reaches the mouth of the river, its velocity slows and it loses energy.
It sorts and deposits its load.
At what location would you find each material to be DEPOSITED?
Clay
Calcium ions
Pebbles
Silt
Coarse Sand
Magnesium ions
Fine Sand D A
A-B
C-D

11. Deposition When a stream velocity decreases (near the mouth)
the river loses ENERGY and can no longer carry material. (competency)
It DEPOSITS (dumps) sediment
LARGEST material is sorted and deposited first.
Eventually forming sedimentary rock.
dunes
Alluvial fans
deltas

12. Mississippi River flows into the Gulf of Mexico, slows down and deposits sediment into the gulf.

13. A delta is formed where the river slows and deposits sediment into a body of water.
Many distributaries branching out from the main river.