Riverscape
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A riverscape[1] (also called river landscape)[2] comprises the features of the landscape which can be found on and along a river. Most features of riverscapes include natural landforms (such as meanders and oxbow lakes) but they can also include artificial landforms (such as man-made levees and river groynes). Riverscapes can be divided into upper course riverscapes, middle course riverscapes, and lower course riverscapes.
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The term riverine is sometimes used to indicate the same type of landscape as a riverscape, or only the riverbank. Riverine landscapes may also be defined as a network of rivers and their surrounding land, which is excellent for agricultural use because of the rich and fertile soil.[3] The word riverine is also used as an adjective which means "relating to or found on a river or the banks of a river".[4]
Upper course
In the upper course of rivers, channels are narrow and gradients are steep.[5] Vertical erosion is the prominent land-forming process. Typical features of upper course riverscapes include:
- Interlocking spurs
- Braided channels
- V-shaped valleys
- Giant's kettles
- Plunge pools
- Alluvial fans
- Tributaries
- Waterfalls
- Potholes
- Gorges
- Rapids
Middle course
In the middle course of rivers, the discharge increases and the gradient flattens out. Typical features of middle course riverscapes include:
- U-shaped valleys
- Riparian forests
- Slip-off slopes
- Oxbow lakes
- Tributaries
- Cut banks
- Meanders
- Marshes
- Riffles
- Pools
Lower course
In the lower course of rivers, the channels are wide and deep, and the discharge is at its highest. Typical features of lower course riverscapes include:
- Wide flat-bottomed valleys
- River groynes
- Large bridges
- Distributaries
- River deltas
- Floodplains
- Meanders
- Levees
- Kolks
Landscape art
Riverscapes are popular subjects in landscape paintings. In addition to the use of the word riverscape in geography, the term is also associated with landscape art. In visual arts the term 'river scene' is considered a synonym for the word 'riverscape'. Related terms used in visual arts include 'seascape', 'cloudscape' and 'cityscape'. A well-known riverscape painter was Salomon van Ruysdael. Below are some examples of riverscape paintings.
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Riverscape with the Baptism of Christ, by Jacques Fouquier
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Waterloo Bridge by John Constable (1820)
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Riverscape with Boats, by Adam August Müller (1828)
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River Landscape with a Boar Hunt, by Joos de Momper (circa 1600)
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River Landscape, by Annibale Carracci (circa 1590)
Photo gallery
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Riverscape of the Kyle of Sutherland (Scotland)
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The Mississippi River (Tennessee)
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Interlocking spurs along the Marsyangdi River (Nepal)
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Riverscape of the Kuiseb River (Namibia)
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See also
- Fluvial processes
- River morphology
- River reclamation
- Riparian buffer
- Riparian zone
- Fresh water
- Canal
References
- ↑ Collins English Dictionary Riverscape meaning by Collins English Dictionary
- ↑ BBC Bitesize River landscapes (part of: Landscapes and Physical Processes)
- ↑ Oxford Big Ideas Geography Landforms and landscapes
- ↑ Cambridge Dictionary Riverine meaning by Cambridge Dictionary
- ↑ Internet Geography Upper course of a river
