(The Geography of the River Wear)

River Features

For centuries the river has been an important part of the landscape of County Durham. The River Wear shows typical examples of both natural and man made features. Starting in the North Pennines, following through Weardale, the Wear Valley and out to sea at Sunderland, the River Wear shows a number of important geographical features. We can show these features, either through school trips or in the classroom and help explain how they were formed and the role they play in the river's geography and environment.

Water Cycle

As mentioned previously, water is essential for life. We'll demonstrate just how this important resource has been recycled naturally for millennia and man's role in this.

Problems & Issues

The River Wear is constantly evolving through erosion and deposition. Often it requires man's intervention to manage it, but sometimes preventing one problem can cause problems in other areas. We'll explain the need for flood defences, water extraction and how man has used water over the centuries, and also look at the impact these have on the environment and the river itself.