Riera de Ribes Geography Fieldwork Barcelona
The dry river bed at Sant Pere de Ribes
Students are introduced to the river channel from the channel walls
Students being briefed on the situation
How much of a threat does the river pose?
The background shows new building: how does this increase risks?
Final instructions
The river cliff from which measurements are made
Students prepare for the investigation
The extent of earlier erosion is established
The cliff runs all along the right bank
Students break into working groups
Lets get going
A gulley cut into the right bank
The view from the top of the right bank
View upstream from above the river cliff
New building has placed these houses on the floodplain
Most of Sant Pere de Ribes lies inside a river meander
Land use above the river
How will this land use affect run-off?
Back to the river bed, mainly coarse gravel
Preparing to identify each survey transect
The notch from which the river level is set
Each group is ready to go
Identifying the survey points
The base point for each transect has been set
The survey is well under way now
Some groups had trouble with the delicate transect lines
These trees caused difficulties if the lines tangled in the branches
This gives some indication of the maximum depth of water
A brief rest before proceeding to site two
Another local dry river seriously affected by the June 2000 floods that killed 5 people
As the river enters the town, recent protective measures become clear
One of the most efficient channel shapes for dispersing flood waters
Note the smooth floor and sides restricts friction so the water travels faster
Since being built the water has almost reached the top of this bridge
Downstream of the town the river will slow down but the banks need protecting
The bedload here consists of very rough boulders