River Landscape Changes: Cross Profile
Geography: Edexcel IGCSE, topic 1.1.14
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.
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.
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.
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.
Test yourself on River Landscape Changes: Cross Profile
In the middle course of rivers, does erosion or deposition dominate?