River Discharge and Hydrographs

Start with the key terms

Begin with the mind map River discharge & hydrographs. It defines discharge as the volume of water passing a point in a given time and shows how it relates to velocity and cross-sectional area. The note on river discharge also introduces peak discharge and lag time.

Next, open Flood Hydrographs to look at rising and falling limbs, along with flashy and non-flashy hydrographs. The Hydrographs mind map adds definitions of peak rainfall, peak discharge and lag time.

Explore the factors

Once the terms are familiar, move to Factors Affecting River Discharge. This mind map covers basin shape and size, precipitation, geology, soil, relief and land use. It also includes urbanization and deforestation.

For a closer look at hydrograph shape, use Factors affecting the shape of a hydrograph. It describes how heavy rain falling on soil already saturated by earlier rainfall produces a steep rising limb. Human Factors Affecting Storm Hydrographs looks at urban surfaces and drainage.

Practice with maps and flashcards

After studying a map, use the Hydrograph key words flashcards to practice recalling terms. Return to the map to check how the terms fit together. You can also compare the factors in the different mind maps as you study.

There are no quizzes listed on this page, so the flashcards offer another way to practice recall. A free account also lets you make your own quiz, mind maps, flashcards and notes, and saves your quiz scores.

Place the topic in the unit

River Discharge and Hydrographs is a section of the River Processes and Landforms unit in Geography. Use this page to focus on discharge, hydrograph terms and the factors shown in the resources before returning to the unit.

Choose a map and build a quiz around the terms you want to practice.