Solution, suspension, saltation and traction.

Find out more about how rivers transport material.

Characteristics of a flood plain include:

• A large area of flat land either side of a river
• layers of alluvium cover the flood plain
• a river bluff along the edge of a flood plain
• meander scars
• levees
• rich, fertile soil
• reeds and marsh plants

Find out more about landforms in the lower course of the river.

Examples include:

• restricts economic development as certain land uses are prohibited
• if land cannot be used for building the current housing shortage will continue
• through building elsewhere habitats may be lost
• it is very difficult to implement retrospectively where urban development has already taken place on the floodplain.

Find out more about soft engineering.

The characteristics of rapids include:

• the turbulent flow of water
• white water
• uneven river bed
• steep gradients.

Find out more about the landforms of erosion in the upper course of a river.

Levees are naturally raised riverbanks found along the sides of the river channel that has experienced flooding.

Find out more about landforms in the lower course of the river.