River Valleys + Landforms Case Study River Tees

River Valleys + Landforms Case Study River Tees

1. It rises on a Cross Fell in the Pennines about 890 metres above sea level

   • And flows for 85 miles to its mouth in the North Sea

2. UPPER COURSE

   • Mostly moorland, used for hill sheep farming
     • Valley is V-shaped with steep valley sides and interlocking spurs
       • The river has a narrow and flows fast because of the steep gradient
   • Precipitation is high, over 2,000mm a year
   • The beadrock is impermeable, so the river collects a lot of water as it runs steeply downstream
   • There are a number of rapids and waterfalls
     • Particularly Couldron Snout and High Force
       • This is caused by the river flowing over harder, impermeable rock
         • There are many small tributaries
           • The beadload is mainly large and angular boulders

3. MIDDLE COURSE

   • Surrounded by lower lying land which is used for arable farming
   • Valley sides slope more gently and the valley floor is wider
     • The river meanders forming river cliffs or bluffs
       • The bedload is smaller and more rounded
   • Lateral erosion is more important than downward erosion
   • Channel is wider and the gradient is less steep

4. LOWER COURSE

   • Flows past Middlesbrough before an estuary as it reaches the sea
     • The land either side of the river is flatter
       • and the area has become important for industry
         • Particularly chemicals and steel making
   • River channel is deep and narrow
     • Lateral erosion predominates
       • River is tidal and forms and estuary
     • Land is mainly sand and gravel
     • Both sides of valley floor is a wide floodplain
     • There are meanders and ox-bow lakes