Water Cycle: Drainage Basins & Human Impact — A-Level Geography Revision
Revise Water Cycle: Drainage Basins & Human Impact for A-Level Geography. Step-by-step explanation, worked examples, common mistakes and exam-style practice aligned to AQA, Edexcel and OCR.
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Go to Carbon Cycle: Stores, Flows & Climate FeedbacksWhat is Water Cycle: Drainage Basins & Human Impact?
This topic explores the water cycle at a local scale, focusing on the concept of the drainage basin as an open system with inputs, outputs, stores, and flows. It examines the factors affecting river regimes and the formation of hydrographs. The topic also investigates the impact of human activities, such as deforestation and urbanisation, on the water cycle and the risk of flooding.
Board notes: A fundamental topic for AQA, Edexcel, and OCR. AQA places emphasis on the concept of feedback in the water cycle. Edexcel requires detailed knowledge of flood management schemes. OCR often includes data response questions involving hydrographs and other hydrological data.
Step-by-step explanationWorked example
When asked to 'compare the hydrographs of two rivers, one in a forested catchment and one in an urbanised catchment', a student should sketch two contrasting hydrographs. The urban hydrograph should have a shorter lag time, a higher peak discharge, and a steeper rising and falling limb. The explanation should focus on how impermeable surfaces and drainage systems in the urban area lead to a more rapid transfer of water to the river channel.
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Common mistakes
- 1Confusing the terms 'interception' and 'infiltration'.
- 2Not being able to correctly label a storm hydrograph.
- 3Describing the impacts of urbanisation on flood risk without explaining the underlying processes (e.g., increased impermeable surfaces).
Water Cycle: Drainage Basins & Human Impact exam questions
Exam-style questions for Water Cycle: Drainage Basins & Human Impact with mark-scheme style solutions and timing practice. Aligned to AQA, Edexcel and OCR specifications.
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Step-by-step method
Step-by-step explanation
4 steps · Worked method for Water Cycle: Drainage Basins & Human Impact
Core concept
This topic explores the water cycle at a local scale, focusing on the concept of the drainage basin as an open system with inputs, outputs, stores, and flows. It examines the factors affecting river r…
Frequently asked questions
What is a river regime?
A river regime is the annual variation in the discharge of a river. It is influenced by factors such as climate (e.g., seasonal rainfall and temperature patterns), geology, and land use.
How does deforestation increase flood risk?
Trees intercept rainfall and their roots take up water from the soil. When forests are removed, more water reaches the ground surface and flows overland into rivers, increasing the volume and speed of runoff and therefore the risk of flooding.