8.1.7

River Profiles: Cross Profiles

Test yourself

The Cross Profile of a River

A river's cross profile shows you the cross-section of the river so you can see the shape of the river bed. As rivers flow downhill, they form valleys and channels. The shape of these features changes along the course of the river.

Illustrative background for Upper courseIllustrative background for Upper course ?? "content

Upper course

  • In the upper course, erosion dominates over deposition. This means that:
    • The valley is steep-sided and shaped like a V.
    • The channel that the water flows through is narrow and not very deep.
Illustrative background for Middle courseIllustrative background for Middle course ?? "content

Middle course

  • In the middle course, neither erosion nor deposition is particularly dominant. This means that:
    • The valley has a gentle slope.
    • The channel is wider than at the upper course. The channel is also deeper than at the upper course.
Illustrative background for Lower courseIllustrative background for Lower course ?? "content

Lower course

  • In the lower course, deposition dominates over erosion. This means that:
    • The valley is wide and flat.
    • The channel is wide and deep.

Jump to other topics

1Geography Skills

2Geology of the UK

3Geography of the World

4Development

5Weather & Climate

6The World of Work

7Natural Resources

8Rivers

9Coasts

10Glaciers

11Tectonics

12Climate Change

13Global Population & Inequality

14Urbanisation

15Ecosystems

16Life in an Emerging Country

17Analysis of Africa

18Analysis of India

19Analysis of the Middle East

20Analysis of Bangladesh

21Analysis of Russia

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