River fieldwork

This the Bradshaw Model. What is it trying to model?

Case study task: The River Goyt, Derbyshire, United Kingdom

Task

You will prove or disprove the following hypothesis:

• Stream velocity increases with distance from the source.
• Stream discharge increases with distance from the source.

Complete the following steps to help you prove or disprove the hypothesis:

• Download each of the spreadsheet documents - one for each of the fieldwork sites.
• Complete the necessary calculations for each fieldwork site - some of the information can be found by clicking on the site locations on the map.
• Produce a table in the spreadsheet that brings together the distance from source, velocity, discharge and hydraulic radius data for all the sites.
• Produce a graph to show how velocity changes with distance from the source - be careful with your x axis (distance from source).
• Produce a graph to show how discharge changes with distance from the source - be careful with your x axis (distance from source).
• Write a conclusion - how and why do your graphs prove or disprove the two hypotheses.
• Extension Task: Produce a graph to show how hydraulic radius changes with distance from the source. Explain your findings.

Location map - Click on the map icons to see more data

Site images and data - Click on the images to see larger versions

So what conclusions can you draw about the River Goyt and the Bradshaw Model?