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.

It becomes narrow and steep-sided in the upper course due to vertical erosion.

Find out more about the long profile of a river.

A gorge is a narrow, steep-sided valley, with bare, rocky walls.

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

Friction with the river bed and banks can reduce the velocity of the river leading to deposition. 

Find out more about river deposition.

Waterfalls and gorges are typically found in the upper course of the river.

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