Zusammenfassung der Ressource
Levees
- Levees are raised banks of sediment alongside a river at its
OLD STAGE due to deposition.
- River Mississippi.
- Rivers deposit their load when they lose speed or
when the gradient is reduced.
- Levees occur at the old stage of a river where its energy and
ability to erode and transport material are reduced.
- The river then drops its load.
- Flooding may occur because of an increased volume of water.
- The river looses its energy as it is flowing over a wider
floodplain.
- Its speed and ability to transport are therefore
reduced.
- Heavy material is deposited first and lighter material flows downstream.
- Over time, the deposition of coarser material along the riverbanks lead to the formation
of levees.
- These levees can act as natural barriers to floodwater
and back swamps can form behind them.
- Artificial levees have been built along the courses of some rivers to prevent flooding.
- Deposition