STUDY TRIPS LED BY LOCAL ENGLISH-SPEAKING GUIDES RIVER STUDY

GEOGRAPHICAL FIELD TRIPS IN A NATURAL PARK

The study of rivers and their systems is an important part of many geography curriculums and is often conducted via practical exercises carried out in the field. In addition, this type of fieldwork provides an excellent opportunity to teach data-taking skills and concepts whose use goes beyond that of simple geographical studies.

www.trescalia.com/schoolgroups TORDERA RIVER STUDY S I T E S V I S I T E D Upper, mid- and lower course of river Tordera Delta of river Tordera at T O P I C S

Data-collection: river width, depth, gradient, discharge Land-use Use of equipment River processes: erosion, transportation, deposition

C O N T E N T

Use of measuring tapes, flowmeters, clinometres, etc. to describe three different points on the course of the river Tordera.

For more information about the field trips: www.trescalia.com/schoolgroups

Inquiries call (+34) 657.861.805 or email [email protected] TORDERA RIVER STUDY

H O W D O C H A N N E L C H A R A C T E R I S T I C S V A R Y W I T H D I S T A N C E D O W N S T R E A M ?

Locations The investigation can be carried out at 4 sites. Sites 1 and 2 are in the upper course, Site 3 is in the middle course and Site 4 is in the lower course.

Time of year The channel will only contain water during the winter months. From March until November the channel is likely to be completely dry. It may therefore not be possible to carry out the necessary measurements to test all the hypotheses*.

Suggested hypotheses 1. Channel width will increase with distance downstream 2. Channel depth will increase with distance downstream 3. Cross sectional area will increase with distance downstream 4. Wetted perimeter will increase with distance downstream* 5. Discharge will increase with distance downstream 6. Velocity will increase with distance downstream 7. Channel gradient will decrease with distance downstream 8. Bed load will become smaller and less angular with distance downstream

For more information about the field trips: www.trescalia.com/schoolgroups

Inquiries call (+34) 657.861.805 or email [email protected] TORDERA RIVER STUDY

The river Tordera offers a wonderful way of practicing these field skills in an environment that will be unfamiliar to the vast majority of students coming from the British Isles – that of a seasonal Mediterranean river. This river rises at over 1100 m, high up in the mountains, and then runs 57 km to the sea at Blanes. Along this relatively short course the river passes through its upper, middle and lower courses in a relatively short stretch and thus allows students to appreciate the differences in the processes at work in these different sections of a river valley.

Furthermore, the river valley lies close to the coast and students staying in El , for example, will have but a 45-minute coach journey to the first data-sampling point where, despite its relative proximity to the All data-collection points are coast, the river behaves as a mountain stream. easily accessible by coach and Not far downstream the river enters its easy to manage from a logistical midcourse and then relatively quickly enters perspective. its much more languid lower course.

For more information about the field trips: www.trescalia.com/schoolgroups

Inquiries call (+34) 657.861.805 or email [email protected]