Hydraulic action

Find out more about river erosion.

Rapids are fast flowing, turbulent sections of the river where the bed has a relatively steep gradient. They are found in the upper course of the river.

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

Examples include:

• flood warnings
• flood plain zoning
• planting trees
• river restoration

Find out more about soft engineering.

Large boulders and rocks are rolled along the river bed.

Find out more about how rivers transport material.

Where the river flows into a sea or ocean it’s velocity is reduced leading to deposition. 

Find out more about river deposition.