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New
New
Year 10
AQA

The storm hydrograph

I can explain the characteristics and factors affecting the shape of a storm hydrograph.

icon-background-square
New
New
Year 10
AQA

The storm hydrograph

I can explain the characteristics and factors affecting the shape of a storm hydrograph.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The storm hydrograph shows the relationship between precipitation and discharge.
  2. Physical and human factors affect the shape of the storm hydrograph.

Keywords

  • Discharge - the volume of water flowing through a river channel at any given time, measured in cumecs

  • Infiltration - the process by which water on the ground surface enters the soil

  • Lag time - the time between the peak rainfall and the peak discharge

  • Drainage density - a measure of how many rivers and streams there are within a given area. A high drainage density indicates many streams and rivers in the given area

Common misconception

A storm hydrograph shows rainfall.

A storm hydrograph shows river discharge changes over time, not just rainfall.


To help you plan your year 10 geography lesson on: The storm hydrograph, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

This provides an opportunity to look at drainage basins on OS maps. Pupils can identify human and physical characteristics and decide on the shape of hydrograph that would be likely following intense rainfall.
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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is the source of a river?
Where the river meets the sea
Correct answer: The point where the river begins
The widest part of the river
A small lake along the river
Q2.
What is the mouth of a river?
Where the river starts
Where the river joins another river
Correct answer: Where the river flows into a lake or sea
A small stream flowing into the river
Q3.
What is the main process that shapes river valleys?
Correct answer: Erosion
Condensation
Freezing
Q4.
In which part of a river is deposition most likely to occur?
Upper course
Middle course
Correct answer: Lower course
At the source
Q5.
What is river discharge?
Correct answer: The volume of water flowing through a channel at any given point
The speed of a river
The amount of rainfall in a year
The depth of the river
Q6.
Which of these are ways a river transports sediment?
Correct answer: Suspension
Correct answer: Saltation
Hydraulic action
Correct answer: Solution

4 Questions

Q1.
Match the lesson's keywords and their definitions.
Correct Answer:discharge,the volume of water flowing through a river channel at any given time
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the volume of water flowing through a river channel at any given time

Correct Answer:infiltration,the process by which water on the ground surface enters the soil
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the process by which water on the ground surface enters the soil

Correct Answer:lag time,the time between the peak rainfall and the peak discharge
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the time between the peak rainfall and the peak discharge

Correct Answer:drainage density,a measure of how many rivers and streams there are within a given area
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a measure of how many rivers and streams there are within a given area

Q2.
What does a storm hydrograph show?
The speed of wind during a storm
The depth of a river at different locations
Correct answer: Changes in river discharge over time during a storm
The temperature of water in a river
Q3.
What is peak discharge on a storm hydrograph?
The highest amount of rainfall recorded
Correct answer: The maximum river discharge during a storm
The lowest river discharge recorded
The total volume of water in a river
Q4.
What does a steep rising limb on a hydrograph indicate?
Slow water movement
No change in river flow
A dry period
Correct answer: Rapid increase in river discharge