Rivers and valleys

River features and land uses vary along the course of a river. Conflicts can arise between the different land uses and solutions must be adopted to minimise these disputes.

Part of

Physical environments

Processes forming river landscapes - lower course

How levées form along the lower course of a river

Levée

Formation of a Levee

The river is on its floodplain with a very low gradient.
The river is mainly depositing (silt and sand).
When the river floods a lot of silt is deposited on the river banks and much less on the floodplain.
Frequent flooding continues this build up.
When the river is flowing normally it deposits in the river bed.
This raises the river above the floodplain.
Usually the built-up levées protect the plain from flooding.