Glossary:Terrace

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Terrace
A terrace is an area of flat or gently sloping land that extends laterally along a slope. There are three main types:
 * River terrace: extend along the sides of river valleys and are formed by the river erosding into it's floodplain. Paired terraces are formed by down cutting of the river, whilst unpaired terraces may result from lateral erosion of the river channel as it migrates across its floodplain.
 * Structural terrace: terraces in a slope side formed by the underlying geology.
 * Agricultural terrace: artificial terraces built to increase the area of land available for cultivation and to help conserve water and soil resources. Bother river and structural terraces may also be exploited for agriculture.

Related Words: Floodplain

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