do young rivers travel fast

• How Are Rivers Classified?

River Classification Systems

One of the most important components of any environmental study is water. Its importance has made rivers, oceans, streams, and lakes the subjects of many research projects. Because of this, a plethora of information can be obtained about rivers, including their length, depth, speed, direction, ecosystem, and flow. In order to measure and record the characteristics of rivers and other waterways around the world, scientists have developed several classification systems. Rivers can be classified by: biotic status (its living things), topography (its physical shape and features), whitewater (for recreational purposes), and by the Strahler Stream Order. This article takes a closer look at these river classification systems.

Biotic Classification

Biotic classification refers to the type of ecosystem found in a particular river. This classification includes the purest, cleanest rivers as well as the most contaminated. One common system divides rivers into 3 principal zones: potamon, rhithron, and crenon.

The potamon zone describes the downstream area of a river. Because this area has slower water flowing speeds, its temperature is generally warmer than other areas of the river. Additionally, the potamon zone is characterized by a sandy river bed and lower oxygen content.

The rhithron zone describes the upstream area of the river. It is characterized by faster and more turbulent flowing speeds. These faster speeds contribute to cooler temperatures in the rhithron zone. Additionally, this biotic river zone has a higher oxygen level than the potamon.

The crenon zone describes the area near the source of the river. This zone is subdivided into the eucrenon, which is the spring zone, and the hypocrenon, which is the headstream zone. Because this is where the river gets its start, its flow speeds are much slower than those found in the rhithron zone. Additionally, the crenon zone has lower oxygen levels and colder temperatures.

Biotic classification also identifies the sensitivity to and recovery time from environmental disturbances of specific habitats. For example, a microhabitat is considered highly sensitive to disturbance, but has a quick recovery time. In contrast, wetlands are less sensitive to disturbance, but require a longer period of time to recovery the effects of an environmental disturbance.

Topographic Classification

Topography classification refers to the physical makeup, shape, and features of the river. Rivers fall into 1 of 3 categories: bedrock, alluvial, or a mix.

Bedrock rivers are formed where water cuts through newer levels of sediment and works its way into the bedrock beneath. This is most likely to happen in geographical regions that have experienced an upward shift in the earth’s surface, such as mountainous regions or uplands. Bedrock rivers are known for their content of alluvium, which is loose soil or sediment. This loose sediment moves with the water, eroding and shaping the river along its way. One example of a bedrock river is the Colorado River in the United States.

Alluvial rivers are characterized by the presence of floodplains (the land next to rivers that is frequently flooded) and channels (the river route) that have been formed in loosely consolidated sediment. Flooding is an important component of alluvial rivers as it maintains the primary route filled with water and allows for the formation of oxbow lakes, side channels, and wetlands. As alluvial river water flows, it erodes the banks of the river and deposits the resulting sediment into the floodplains or sandbars in the middle of the river. These rivers are further categorized by the pattern of their water flow - in other words, the direction the river flows in. These classifications include: wandering, straight, braided, meandering, and anastomose. The habitats within alluvial rivers range from deep pools to shallow and turbulent waters.

Mixed bedrock-alluvial rivers , as the name suggests, combine the previous features. These rivers flow through layers of bedrock and areas of deep alluvial deposits.

Chronological Classification

Researchers are able to determine the age of rivers by studying their erosion patterns.

For example, young rivers are characterized by their rapid flow, lack of tributaries, and deep rather than wide channels.

Mature rivers have less steep grades than young rivers and are characterized by the presence of several tributaries and a rapid discharge speed.

Old rivers can be identified by its floodplains. Finally, rejuvenated rivers have gradients and are raised by tectonic movement.

Whitewater Classification

In addition to being important components of healthy ecosystems and a source of freshwater resources, rivers also provide recreational opportunities around the world. One of the most popular river activities is whitewater rafting, or navigating the river in boats and over a wide variety of waves and speeds. In order to prepare for a rafting trip, knowing the whitewater classification is important. The International Scale of River Difficulty includes 6 classifications.

• Class I: River difficulty is easy with fast flow and small waves.
• Class II: River difficulty is novice with wide rivers and medium-sized waves.
• Class III: River difficulty is intermediate with irregular waves that can take over a canoe.
• Class IV: River difficulty is advanced with powerful waves, holes, and restricted passages. These rapids require fast boat handling and the risk of injury to swimmers is considered moderate to high.
• Class V: River difficulty is expert with violent waves, dropoffs, and complex passages. These turbulent rapids continue for long distances before calmer pools are reached.
• Class VI: River difficulty is extreme and exploratory; it is considered extremely dangerous. These rapids come with a high possibility of error and are so difficult to navigate that rescue may be impossible.

Strahler Stream Order

Proposed in 1952, the Strahler Stream Order is based on the Strahler number, which is used to demonstrate the complexity of branching numbers. It applies this same concept to rivers and creates a type of pyramid order based on tributary numbers. The order classifications range from the 1st order to the 12th order. Headwaters, for example, belong to the 1st order, while the Amazon River belongs to the 12th. Researchers have determined that approximately 80% of the world’s rivers and tributaries belong to the 1st and 2nd orders. These waterways are typically located on steep inclines from which they flow downward at a quick pace until joining the next order of waterway. The larger the order number, the larger and slower the river.

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Understanding Rivers

A river is a large, natural stream of flowing water. Rivers are found on every continent and on nearly every kind of land.

Earth Science, Biology, Ecology, Geography, Physical Geography, Geology

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A river is a large, natural stream of flowing water. Rivers are found on every continent and on nearly every kind of land. Some flow all year round. Others flow seasonally or during wet years. A river may be only kilometers long, or it may span much of a continent. The longest rivers in the world are the Nile in Africa and the Amazon in South America. Both rivers flow through many countries. For centuries, scientists have debated which river is longer. Measuring a river is difficult because it is hard to pinpoint its exact beginning and end. Also, the length of rivers can change as they meander , are dammed , or their deltas grow and recede . The Amazon is estimated to be between 6,259 kilometers (3,903 miles) and 6,800 kilometers (4,225 miles) long. The Nile is estimated to be between 5,499 kilometers (3,437 miles) and 6,690 kilometers (4,180 miles) long. There is no debate, however, that the Amazon carries m ore water than any other river on Earth. Approximately one-fifth of all the fresh water entering the oceans comes from the Amazon. Rivers are important for many reasons. One of the most important things they do is carry large quantities of water from the land to the ocean. There, seawater constantly evaporates . The resulting water vapor forms clouds . Clouds carry moisture over land and release it as precipitation . This freshwater feeds rivers and smaller streams. The movement of water between land, ocean, and air is called the water cycle . The water cycle constantly replenishes Earth’s supply of fresh water, which is essential for almost all living things. Anatomy of a River No two rivers are exactly alike. Yet all rivers have certain features in common and go through similar stages as they age. The beginning of a river is called its source or headwaters . The source may be a melting glacier , such as the Gangotri Glacier, the source of the Ganges River in Asia. The source could be melting snow, such as the snows of the Andes, which feed the Amazon River. A river’s source could be a lake with an outflowing stream, such as Lake Itasca in the U.S. state of Minnesota, the source of the Mississippi River. A spring bubbling out of the ground can also be the headwaters of a river. The source of the Danube River is a spring in the Black Forest of Germany. From its source, a river flows downhill as a small stream. Precipitation and groundwater add to the river’s flow. It is also fed by other streams, called tributaries. For instance, the Amazon River receives water from more than 1,000 tributaries. Together, a river and its tributaries make up a river system . A river system is also called a drainage basin or watershed. A river’s watershed includes the river, all its tributaries, and any groundwater resources in the area. The end of a river is its mouth . Here, the river empties into another body of water—a larger river, a lake, or the ocean. Many of the largest rivers empty into the ocean. The flowing water of a river has great power to carve and shape the landscape. Many landforms, like the Grand Canyon in the U.S. state of Arizona, were sculpted by rivers over time. This process is called weathering or erosion . The energy of flowing river water comes from the force of gravity , which pulls the water downward. The steeper the slope of a river, the faster the river moves and the more energy it has. The movement of water in a river is called a current . The current is usually strongest near the river’s source. Storms can also increase the current. A swift current can move even large boulders . These break apart, and the pieces that are carried in the moving water scrape and dig into the river bottom, or bed. Little by little, a river tears away rocks and soil along its bed, and carries them downstream. The river carves a narrow, V-shaped valley . Rapids and waterfalls are common to rivers, particularly near their sources. Eventually, the river flows to lower land. As the slope of its course flattens, the river cuts less deeply into its bed. Instead, it begins to wind from side to side in looping bends called meanders . This action widens the river valley. At the same time, the river begins to leave behind some of the rocks, sand, and other solid material it collected upstream . This material is called sediment . Once the sediment is deposited, it is called alluvium . Alluvium may contain a great deal of eroded topsoil from upstream and from the banks of its meanders. Because of this, a river deposits very fertile soil on its flood plain . A flood plain is the area next to the river that is subject to flooding. The deepest part of a river bed is called a channel . The channel is usually located in the middle of a river. Here, the current is often strong. In large rivers, ships travel in channels. Engineers may dredge , or dig, deeper channels so more water can flow through the river or the river can transport larger ships. Near the end of its journey, the river slows and may appear to move sluggishly . It has less energy to cut into the land, and it can no longer carry a heavy load of sediment. Where the river meets the ocean or a lake, it may deposit so much sediment that new land, a delta, is formed. Not all rivers have deltas. The Amazon does not have a true delta, for instance. The strength of the tides and currents of the Atlantic Ocean prevent the build-up of sediment. Deltas almost always have fertile soil. The Nile Delta and the Ganges Delta are the chief agricultural areas for Egypt and Bangladesh, for instance. Rivers Through History Rivers have always been important to people. In prehistoric times, people settled along the banks of rivers, where they found fish to eat and water for drinking, cooking, and bathing. Later, people learned that the fertile soil along rivers is good for growing crops . The world’s first great civilizations arose in the fertile flood plains of the Nile in Egypt, the Indus in southern Asia, the Tigris and the Euphrates in the Middle East, and the Huang (Yellow) in China. Centuries later, rivers provided routes for trade , exploration , and settlement . The Volga River in Eastern Europe allowed Scandinavian and Russian cultures, near the source of the river, to trade goods and ideas with Persian cultures, near the mouth of the Volga in southern Europe. The Hudson River in the U.S. state of New York is named after English explorer Henry Hudson , who used the river to explore what was then the New World . When towns and industries developed, the rushing water of rivers supplied power to operate machinery . Hundreds of factories operated mills powered by the Thames in England, the Mississippi in the United States, and the Ruhr in Germany. Rivers remain important today. If you look at a world map, you will see that many well-known cities are on rivers. Great river cities include New York City, New York; Buenos Aires, Argentina; London, England; Cairo, Egypt; Kolkata, India; and Shanghai, China. In fact, rivers are usually the oldest parts of cities. Paris, France, for instance, was named after the Iron Age people known as the Parisii , who lived on the islands and banks of the Seine River, which flows through the city. Rivers continue to provide transportation routes, water for drinking and for irrigating farmland , and power for homes and industries. Rivers of Europe The longest river in Europe is the Volga. It flows approximately 3,685 kilometers (2,290 miles) across Russia and empties into the Caspian Sea. The Volga has been used for centuries to transport timber from northern forests, grain from farms along its valley, and manufactured goods. The river is also known for its sturgeon , a type of large fish whose eggs are used to make a famous delicacy —Russian caviar . The Thames, in England, is one of Europe’s most historic rivers. Along its banks stands the city of London, a bustling urban area for more than a thousand years. By 100 CE, London had already become an important Roman settlement and trading post . Because of its location on the river and near the seacoast, London became England’s principal city and trade center. Europe’s busiest river is the Rhine, which runs from the Alps in Switzerland, through Germany and the Netherlands, and empties into the North Sea. It flows through many industrial and farming regions and carries barges laden with farm products, coal , iron ore, and a variety of manufactured goods. Rivers of Asia Asia’s longest and most important river is the Yangtze, in China. It flows from the Dangla Mountains, between Tibet and China’s Qinghai province. It empties in the East China Sea 6,300 kilometers (3,915 miles) later. The Yangtze is a highway for trade through the world’s most populous country. The Yangtze is also an agricultural river. Its valley is a major rice-growing region, and its water is used to irrigate fields. Many Chinese live on the river in houseboats or sailboats called junks . The Yangtze River is the home of the world’s most powerful hydroelectric power plant, the Three Gorges Dam . Eventually, the plant will be able to constantly produce 22,500 megawatts of power. China’s rural population will have access to affordable electricity for homes, businesses, schools, and hospitals. Creating the Three Gorges Dam was one of the largest engineering feats in history. Engineers dammed the Yangtze, creating a 39.3-cubic-kilometer (31.9 million acre-foot) reservoir , or artificial lake. The Ganges is the greatest river on Asia's Indian subcontinent . It is sacred to the millions of followers of the Hindu religion. For thousands of years, Hindus have worshipped the river as a goddess, Ganga Ma (Mother Ganges). Hindus believe the river’s water purifies the soul and heals the body. Millions of people use the Ganges every day for bathing, drinking, and industry. The historic Tigris and Euphrates river system flows from Turkey through Syria and Iraq and into the Persian Gulf. The rivers lie in an area called the Fertile Crescent . The region between the two rivers, known as Mesopotamia , is the so-called “cradle of civilization.” The earliest evidence of civilization and agriculture —farming and domestication of animals—appears in the Fertile Crescent. Rivers of North America In North America, rivers served as highways for native tribes and, later, for European explorers. French explorers began traveling the St. Lawrence and other rivers of Canada in the 1500s. They found an abundance of fish and other wildlife, and they encountered Native American tribes who hunted beaver. The explorers took beaver pelts back to Europe, where they were used to make fashionable hats. Soon, hunters explored and traveled networks of rivers in North America in search of beaver pelts. The establishment of trading posts along the rivers later opened the way for permanent European settlers. The St. Lawrence River is still a major waterway . The river, which empties into the Atlantic, is linked to the Great Lakes by the St. Lawrence Seaway —a series of canals , locks , dams, and lakes. The St. Lawrence Seaway allows oceangoing ships to enter the interior of the continent. The Mississippi is the chief river of North America. It flows approximately 3,766 kilometers (2,340 miles) through the heart of the United States, from its source in Minnesota to its delta in Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico. Spanish and French explorers first traveled the Mississippi in the 1500s and 1600s. In 1803, the United States bought almost the entire Mississippi River Valley from France as part of the Louisiana Purchase . After that, the Mississippi was widely traveled by traders and settlers on rafts, boats, and barges.

With the introduction of the steamboat , a new, industrial, era began on the Mississippi. Paddle wheelers carried trade goods up and down the river. Soon, workboats were joined by cruise ships and other luxurious passenger vessels. Writer Mark Twain , who was once a steamboat pilot on the river, described this era in his book Life on the Mississippi . Over time, the Mississippi increased in importance as a trade route. Today, it carries cargo ships and barges in lines that may extend for more than a kilometer. Large quantities of petroleum , coal, and other bulky goods are conveyed on the river by massive barges pushed by powerful towboats . North America’s Colorado River is famous for forming the Grand Canyon in Arizona. For millions of years, the river has cut its way through layers of rock to carve the canyon. Long ago, the river flowed through a flat plain. Then the Earth’s crust began to rise, lifting the land. The river began cutting into the land. The Grand Canyon is now about one and a half kilometers (one mile) deep at its deepest point, and 29 kilometers (18 miles) wide at its widest. Rivers of South America The strength of the Amazon River in South America dwarfs other rivers on the planet. The amount of water flowing through the Amazon is greater than the amount carried by the Mississippi, the Yangtze, and the Nile combined. The Amazon begins as an icy stream high in the Andes mountains of Peru. It flows through Brazil and empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The Amazon and its tributaries drain a basin that covers an area equal to three-fourths of the contiguous United States. The first Europeans to see the Amazon were Spanish explorers, who traveled it in the 1500s. They encountered a group of people who all appeared to be women, or so the story goes. The explorers called them Amazons, after female warriors described in Greek mythology . The name Amazon was later given to the river. For much of its course, the Amazon flows through the world’s largest tropical rain forest. The region has abundant and unusual wildlife, including flesh-eating fish called piranhas ; huge fish called pirarucu , which can weigh more than 125 kilograms (275 pounds); and giant snakes called anacondas . Some Amazon tribes remain independent of Western culture. The Tagaeri people, for instance, continue to live a nomadic life based around the Amazon and its tributaries in the rain forest of Ecuador. Because of the demand for timber from the rain forest, the land of the indigenous people of the Amazon is shrinking. Today, there are fewer than 100 Tagaeri living in the rain forest. Rivers provide energy to many South American communities. The Itaipú Dam crosses the Paraná River on the Brazil-Paraguay border. Construction of the dam required the labor of thousands of workers and cost more than $12 billion. The dam’s power plant can regularly produce some 12,600 megawatts of electricity. The huge reservoir formed by the dam supplies water for drinking and for irrigation. Rivers of Africa Africa’s two largest rivers are the Nile and the Congo. One tributary of the Nile, the White Nile , flows from tiny streams in the mountains of Burundi through Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest lake. The other tributary, the Blue Nile , begins in Lake Tana, Ethiopia. The two join at Khartoum, Sudan. The Nile then flows through the Sahara Desert in Sudan and Egypt, and empties into the Mediterranean Sea. Because the area where the tributaries meet is close to the two sources of the Nile, the area is called the Upper Nile , even though it is farther south geographically. The Lower Nile runs through Egypt. One of the earliest civilizations in the world developed along the Lower Nile. Ancient Egyptian civilization arose about 5,000 years ago. It was directly related to the Nile and its annual flooding. Each year, the river overflowed, spreading rich sediment across its broad flood plain. This made the land extremely fertile. Egyptian farmers were able to grow plentiful crops. In fact, ancient Egyptians called their land Kemet , which means “Black Land,” because of the rich, black soil deposited by the river. Egyptians also used the Nile as a major transportation route to both the Mediterranean and the African interior. The Pschent , or double crown worn by Egyptian monarchs , combined symbolism from both the Upper Nile and Lower Nile. A tall, white crown shaped like a bowling pin represented the lands of the Upper Nile. This crown was combined with a pointy red crown that had a curly wire protruding from the front. The red color symbolized the red soils of Lower Egypt, while the curly wire represented a honeybee . When putting on the Pschent, an Egyptian ruler assumed leadership for the entire Nile. The Nile provided enterprising Egyptians with material to form a powerful civilization. From papyrus , a tall reed that grew in the river, Egyptians made a sort of paper, as well as rope, cloth, and baskets. Egyptians also built great cities, temples, and monuments along the river, including tombs for their monarchs, or pharaohs . Many of these ancient monuments are still standing. The Congo River flows across the middle of Africa, through a huge equatorial rain forest, before emptying in the Atlantic Ocean. The Congo is second only to the Amazon in terms of water flow. It is the deepest river in the world, with measured depths of more than 230 meters (750 feet). Huge urban areas, including the capital cities of Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, and Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, sit on the banks of the river. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the river is the principal highway for transporting goods such as cotton, coffee, and sugar. Boats traveling the river range from dugout canoes to large freighters . The river also supplies an abundance of fish to central Africa. Fishermen use baskets and nets hung from high poles across rushing falls and rapids to catch fish. They also use more traditional nets operated from either onshore or on boats. Rivers of Australia Much of Australia is arid , but rivers still run through it. Australia’s principal rivers are the Murray and the Darling, both in the southeastern part of the continent. The Murray flows some 2,590 kilometers (1,610 miles) from the Snowy Mountains to a lagoon on the Indian Ocean. Near the town of Wentworth, the Murray is joined by the Darling, a 2,739-kilometer (1,702-mile) river that flows from the highlands of the eastern coast. Indigenous Australians placed great importance on the Murray River. The Murray valley had the greatest population density on the continent before the arrival of Europeans in the 1600s. By the mid-1800s, European farmers had settled along both rivers and some of their tributaries. Most Australian farmers raised sheep and cattle. Riverboats began plying the waters, and towns grew up along the banks. Much of Australia’s farmland still lies within the Murray-Darling basin, where river water irrigates some 1.2 million hectares (3 million acres). The region is the chief supplier of the country’s agricultural exports —wool, beef, wheat, and oranges. Polluted Rivers For centuries, people have depended on rivers for many things. Rivers have provided waterways for shipping, convenient construction sites for cities, and fertile land for farming. Such extensive use of rivers has contributed to their pollution . River pollution has come from directly dumping garbage and sewage , disposal of toxic wastes from factories, and agricultural runoff containing fertilizers and pesticides . By the 1960s, many of the world’s rivers were so polluted that fish and other wildlife could no longer survive in them. Their waters became unsafe for drinking, swimming, and other uses. One of the most famous examples of a polluted river was the Cuyahoga. The Cuyahoga is a busy river in the U.S. state of Ohio that empties into Lake Erie. It is a major highway for goods and services from the Midwest to the Great Lakes. In 1969, the oily pollution in the Cuyahoga was so great that the river actually caught fire—something it had done more than a dozen times in the 19th and 20th centuries. Since the 1969 fire, stricter laws have helped clean up polluted rivers. The laws have restricted the substances factories can dump into rivers, limited the amount of agricultural runoff, banned toxic pesticides such as DDT , and required treatment of sewage. Although the situation in some parts of the world has improved, serious problems remain. The Citarum River in Indonesia, for instance, is often cited as the most polluted river in the world. Textile factories near the Citarum dump toxic wastes into the river. The garbage floating on top of the river is so thick that water is invisible. Even after communities have limited river pollution, toxic chemicals may remain. Many pollutants take years to dissolve. The pollutants also build up in the river’s wildlife. Toxic chemicals may cling to algae , which are eaten by insects or fish, which are then eaten by larger fish or people. At each stage of the river’s food web , the amount of the toxic chemical increases. In parts of North America and Europe, there is also the severe problem of acid rain . Acid rain develops when emissions from factories and vehicles mix with moisture in the air. The acid that forms can be toxic for many living things. Acid rain falls as rain and snow. It builds up in glaciers, streams, and lakes, polluting water and killing wildlife. Environmentalists, governments, and communities are trying to understand and solve these pollution problems. To provide safe drinking water and habitats where fish and other wildlife can thrive, rivers must be kept clean. Dams A dam is a barrier that stops or diverts the flow of water along a river. Humans have built dams for thousands of years. Dams are built for many purposes. Some dams prevent flooding or allow people to develop or “reclaim” land previously submerged by a river. Other dams are used to change a river’s course for the benefit of development or agriculture. Still others provide water supplies for nearby rural or urban areas. Many dams are used to provide electricity to local communities. In 1882, the world’s first hydroelectric power plant was built on the Fox River in the U.S. city of Appleton, Wisconsin. Since then, thousands of hydroelectric plants have been built on rivers all over the world. These plants harness the energy of flowing water to produce electricity. About 7 percent of all power in the United States, and 19 percent of power in the world, comes from hydroelectric plants. China is the world’s largest producer of hydroelectric power. Hydroelectric power is renewable because water is constantly replenished through precipitation. Because hydroelectric plants do not burn fossil fuels , they do not emit pollution or greenhouse gases . However, hydroelectric power does have some negative effects on the environment. Dams and hydroelectric plants change the flow and temperature of rivers. These changes to the ecosystem can harm fish and other wildlife that live in or near the river. And although hydroelectric plants do not release greenhouse gases, rotting vegetation trapped in the dams’ reservoirs can produce them. Decaying plant material emits carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere. Dams also have an effect on people living near the rivers. For example, more than 1.3 million people had to move from their homes to make way for China’s Three Gorges Dam and its reservoir. Human rights organizations claim that many of these people did not receive the compensation they were promised in return for being displaced. In addition, dams can affect fish populations and the fertility of flood plains. Fish may not be able to migrate and spawn. Farmers that depended on the fertile flooding may be cut off from the river by a dam. This can harm the livelihood of fishermen and farmers who live along the river, as well as consumers who must pay higher prices for food. Dams with very large reservoirs may also trigger earthquakes . Earthquakes happen when two or more of the tectonic plates that make up Earth’s crust slide against each other. The weight of the water in the reservoirs can cause existing cracks, or faults , in these plates to slip and create an earthquake. River Management River management is the process of balancing the needs of many stakeholders , or communities that depend on rivers. Rivers provide natural habitats for fish, birds, and other wildlife. They also provide recreation areas and sporting opportunities such as fishing and kayaking. Industries also depend on rivers. Rivers transport goods and people across continents. They provide affordable power for millions of homes and businesses. Farmers and agribusinesses often rely on rivers for transportation. Rivers also supply water for irrigation. River managers must consider the needs of all the current and future stakeholders.

Flip-Flopping Flow The Amazon River used to flow in the opposite direction. Today, the river flows from the mountains of Peru in the west to the Atlantic Ocean in the east. But millions of years ago, it actually flowed from east to west, emptying into the Pacific Ocean. The flow flipped when the Andes mountains started growing at the end of the Cretaceous period (around 65 million years ago).

Germ-Killing Ganges Hindus have always believed that the water of the Ganges River has purifying powers. Although millions of people bathe in the river regularly, it does not usually spread cholera, typhoid, or other water-borne diseases. Scientists have found that unique bacteriophages--viruses that destroy bacteria--kill germs in the water of the Ganges. In addition, the Ganges holds up to 25 times more dissolved oxygen than any other river in the world. The oxygen helps prevent putrefaction (rotting) of organic matter in the river. Scientists do not know why the river retains so much oxygen.

Mythical Rivers The ancient Greeks believed that five rivers encircled Hades, the underworld. These rivers are Styx (hate), Phlegethon (fire), Acheron (sorrow), Cocytus (lamentation or sadness), and Lethe (forgetting). The Greeks believed that dead souls had to cross the River Acheron, a branch of the Styx, to reach the underworld. They crossed on a ferry piloted by Charon, the ferryman of Hades.

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Related Resources

Decoding Differences: Streams vs. Rivers Revealed

Have you ever wondered what sets streams and rivers apart? The short answer is size and flow, but there’s so much more beneath the surface!

Table of Contents

Dive in with us as we explore the fascinating distinctions between these two watercourses, from their unique development stages to their impact on diverse ecosystems. You’ll never look at a babbling brook or a mighty river the same way again!

Definition of streams and rivers

Streams and rivers are essential components of Earth’s freshwater ecosystems. A stream is a small, naturally flowing watercourse, while a river is a larger body of flowing water. Both play crucial roles in the water cycle and are vital for supporting life on Earth.

What is a river?

The expression “river of life” holds deep significance (see also dreaming of rivers) . Rivers have been vital to all life forms on Earth since the beginning of time. Flora and fauna thrive and gather around rivers due to the indispensable nature of water.

Although it may appear that rivers flow through many cities, it is actually the cities that have been built and expanded around rivers. Humans utilize rivers for various purposes, such as flood control, irrigation, power generation, public and municipal uses, and even waste disposal.

What is a stream?

A stream is a small, naturally flowing watercourse that is typically a tributary to a larger body of water, such as a river, lake, or ocean. Similar to rivers, streams also play a crucial role in Earth’s ecosystems, providing habitats for various plant and animal species and contributing to the water cycle.

While streams share some characteristics with rivers, they are generally smaller in size and have a lower volume and flow rate.

Role in the water cycle

Rivers and streams are integral parts of the water cycle, which involves the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the Earth’s surface. They facilitate the transportation of water from land to oceans and help maintain a balance in the distribution of water resources.

The river mouths are where rivers meet an ocean, sea, or lake, depositing sediment and nutrients into the larger water body. We wrote an article about the Congo River and its incredible river mouth .

Differences between streams and rivers

Size and flow, streams as smaller water bodies.

Streams are smaller watercourses that often flow into larger bodies of water, such as rivers, lakes, or oceans. They have a lower volume of water and generally flow at a slower pace than rivers.

Rivers as larger streams

Rivers are larger than streams and have a higher volume of water. They can cover vast distances and often have multiple tributaries, which are smaller streams that flow into them.

Terminology based on location

Examples of different names in different regions.

Different regions may use various terms to describe streams and rivers, such as creeks, brooks, or branches. These terms are typically used to distinguish between watercourses of different sizes or to reflect local naming conventions.

Development stages

Young rivers: steep downhill grades and fast flow.

Young rivers flow quickly down steep gradients, carrying small particles and rapidly eroding their riverbeds.

Mature rivers: slower flow and sand deposition

Mature rivers have eroded enough land around them that their flow has slowed, leading to the deposition of larger particles, such as sand.

Old rivers: slow meandering, wide channels, and flood plains

Old rivers are characterized by slow, meandering flow, wide channels, and extensive flood plains. They often carry a large amount of soil in suspension, which can give them a muddy appearance.

Characteristics of rivers and streams

Channelized vs. non-channelized flow.

Rivers and streams exhibit channelized flow , meaning their watercourses are confined within defined channels. In contrast, overland flow, or non-channelized flow, consists of shallow, widespread flows of water that are not confined to channels.

Wide range in size and discharge

Rivers and streams vary greatly in size, discharge, and sediment load. Factors such as geography, climate, and geology can influence these characteristics, leading to diverse watercourses across the globe.

Curvy nature and lateral shifting

Rivers are seldom straight for long distances and often curve or meander over time. They also shift laterally through various processes, causing temporary deposition in different parts of the river system.

Ability to keep pace with crustal changes

Medium to large rivers can adjust to crustal subsidence or uplift by eroding or depositing material, enabling them to maintain their flow paths over time.

Long history and formation processes

Rivers have a long history , with their formation processes shaped by factors such as topography, geology, and climate. They can begin as small rivulets that develop into streams and, eventually, into full-fledged rivers with tributaries.

Biodiversity in rivers and streams

Importance for ecosystems.

Rivers and streams are vital for supporting diverse ecosystems. They provide habitats for numerous plant and animal species and serve as essential corridors for species migration and dispersal.

Differences between rivers and streams

The biodiversity found in rivers and streams can vary depending on factors such as size, flow, and surrounding habitat. Streams, being smaller and often having cooler, faster-flowing water, can support different species than larger, slower-flowing rivers. The unique conditions in each type of watercourse contribute to the overall biodiversity of the ecosystems they support.

Understanding Strahler’s Stream Order Classification System

Strahler’s Stream Order Classification System is a hierarchical method used to categorize streams based on their position within a network of tributaries. This system is crucial in the field of hydrology and geomorphology, providing a standardized way to understand and compare the structure of different river networks.

The Hierarchy of Streams

In Strahler’s system, the smallest, unbranched tributaries are classified as first-order streams. These are the most basic units in the hierarchy. They are typically small, with fast-moving water, and are often found at the headwaters of a river system.

Formation of Higher Order Streams

When two first-order streams converge, they form a second-order stream. This process continues up the hierarchy, with two second-order streams merging to form a third-order stream, and so on. However, if a lower-order stream joins a higher-order stream, the order does not increase. The resulting stream retains the order of the highest contributing stream.

Practical Applications of Strahler’s System

Strahler’s system is not just a theoretical concept; it has practical applications in predicting various aspects of a stream’s behavior, such as its flow rate, sediment transport capacity, and potential for flooding. It also aids in environmental management and conservation efforts, providing a standardized way to categorize and compare different streams and rivers.

Understanding the order of a stream can help scientists and policymakers make informed decisions about water resource management and ecosystem conservation.

Summary of characteristics setting streams and rivers apart

In summary, streams and rivers are distinguished by their size, flow, and the terminology used to describe them based on location. They also have different developmental stages, with young rivers being fast-flowing and erosive, mature rivers being slower and depositing sediment, and old rivers characterized by slow meandering and wide flood plains. Both rivers and streams have unique characteristics, such as channelized flow, size and discharge variability, curvy nature, lateral shifting, and a long history of formation processes.

Check the top widest rivers in the United States for really big rivers.

Importance of understanding these differences for environmental preservation and management

Understanding the differences between streams and rivers is crucial for effective environmental preservation and management. Recognizing their distinct characteristics and biodiversity enables scientists, conservationists, and policymakers to develop tailored strategies for protecting and restoring these vital freshwater ecosystems. By preserving and managing these watercourses, we can help maintain the delicate balance of the water cycle, support diverse ecosystems, and ensure the sustainability of Earth’s precious water resources for future generations.

What is different between streams and rivers?

Streams and rivers mainly differ in size and flow. Streams are smaller watercourses with lower volumes of water and slower flow rates, while rivers are larger bodies of flowing water with higher volumes and flow rates.

What is the relationship between a river and a stream?

A river and a stream are both types of flowing watercourses, with the primary difference being their size. Streams are smaller, often flowing into larger bodies of water such as rivers, lakes, or oceans.

What are the characteristics of a stream?

Characteristics of a stream include being a small, naturally flowing watercourse, often serving as a tributary to a larger body of water, and having a lower volume and flow rate compared to rivers.

What are the 3 characteristics of a river?

Three characteristics of a river include: (a) having a larger size and higher volume of water than streams, (b) exhibiting curvy nature and lateral shifting due to erosion and deposition, and (c) going through distinct developmental stages such as young, mature, and old rivers with different flow rates and channel characteristics.

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What are the characteristics of a young river? |

Rivers are a complex phenomenon in the natural world. Rivers are young when they start, but as time goes on, rivers mature and evolve into different forms of waterways or even disappear altogether. The characteristics that define a river all have to do with their dynamic evolution over time.

The “ what are three characteristics of an old river? ” is a question that I am unable to answer. This is because the definition of what a young or old river is, varies from person to person.

Young rivers are waterways that are wider than they are deep, flow quickly, and include several waterfalls and rapids.

What, after all, are the features of a young river?

A stream of water that is straight and limited in breadth characterizes a fledgling river. The young river’s water is fast-moving and has a steep stream gradient. It doesn’t produce any tributaries. The source of a river’s head water is the river’s origin.

The issue then becomes, what is a young river? The upper stream of the Young River. A young river is the beginning of a river, when it runs fast and with a lot of energy. The river here is smaller, with a tumbling, fast flow that creates a limited course through rugged hills or mountains.

What are the features of a river, as well?

A river is a naturally flowing watercourse that flows towards an ocean, sea, lake, or another river, and is generally freshwater. A river may run into the earth and become dry at the end of its course before reaching another source of water in rare instances.

What three features do you think a young river has?

Answer and Explanation: Young rivers are waterways that are wider than they are deep, flow quickly, and include several waterfalls and rapids.

Answers to Related Questions

What are the three phases in the formation of a river?

A river, like a human person, travels through three stages: youthful, mature, and elderly. Each level is distinguished by its own characteristics. The river is in its early flow at this time. It moves at a very fast rate, giving it a lot of kinetic energy.

How can you determine whether a river is old?

Determine the absolute age of the deepest river deposits in the specified basin to get a decent estimate of the absolute age of a “river.” You may also utilize the ages of the deposits if you have two rivers and wish to establish their respective ages.

What is the best way to categorize a river?

The Strahler Stream Order, biotic status (its living things), topography (its physical form and characteristics), whitewater (for recreational reasons), and biotic status (its living things) are all ways to classify rivers.

Where in a river does the water flow the slowest?

Water tends to flow quickest along the outer bend of a meander and slowest on the inner bend of a meander in a meandering river.

What is a river’s meander?

A river meander is a twisting bend or curve. They are characteristic of a river’s middle and lower reaches. This is due to the fact that vertical erosion is replaced by a kind of erosion known as LATERAL erosion, as well as deposition inside the floodplain.

Where does a river flow the most quickly?

In a river, when the breadth is small and the bottom is steep, water rushes quickly. A gorge in the upper sections of a river would be an example of such a river. The higher portions of a river usually have the quickest water. It slows down in the middle and slows down much more at the bottom reaches.

What distinguishes a river from others?

There are more than 2.9 million miles of rivers in the United States.

They vary in size from little streams to enormous rivers. Each river has its own personality, flowing through low slopes and valleys, dashing clean and cold from mountain forests, or sweeping warm and filthy down desert canyons.

Which river is the most important?

The following is a list of the world’s most significant rivers.

• Sepik River is a river in Sepik, Indonesia. mustseeplaces.eu is the source of this image.
• The Mississippi River is a large river in the United States. The Mississippi River is the greatest river system in North America and the United States.
• The Volga is a river in Russia.
• The Mekong is a river in Southeast Asia.
• The Yangtze is a river in China.

What is the sound of a river?

Both the flow of the water and the sound it creates as it moves are captured by the word burble. A brook, stream, or river may alternatively be described as babbles, ripples, or even trickles. The term burble was first used in the 1300s, and it is said to be derived from the sound of a rippling, bubbling creek.

What does a river system look like?

A river system is a collection of rivers that includes one major river and all of its tributaries, which flow into a lake or the ocean. The source is where the water comes from, such as spring water (waterfalls), mountains, and so on.

What causes a river to form?

The majority of rivers begin as a little brook going down a mountainside. They get their water from melting snow and ice, as well as precipitation that runs off the ground. As it rushes downhill, the water follows the fractures and folds in the earth. Small streams converge and merge, getting bigger and larger until the flow is enormous enough to be termed a river.

What are the most important components of a river system?

• What Are the Most Important Elements of a River’s Anatomy? There are about 250,000 rivers in the United States.
• Tributaries. A tributary is a river that feeds into another river instead of flowing into a lake, pond, or the sea.
• Right and left, up and down.
• Headwaters.
• Floodplains.
• Mouth/Delta.

What are the names of the river’s two ends?

A river generally empties into the sea, a lake, or a larger river. The’mouth’ of the river refers to the point where the river flows into a larger body of water.

What is the beginning of a river?

The source of a river is the point where it originates. The headwaters of a river are often known as the source. Rivers obtain their water from a slew of tributaries, or smaller streams, that join together. The source, or headwaters, would be the tributary that began the greatest distance from the river’s terminus.

What happens when a river overflows?

Rivers have the potential to overrun their banks, resulting in floods. This occurs when there is more water upstream than normal, and the water bursts as it travels downstream to the nearby low-lying regions (also known as a floodplain).

What is the definition of a river head?

noun. The origin of a river is the definition of a riverhead. The Mississippi River’s starting point is an example of a riverhead. Definition and use example from YourDictionary.

What is a river’s life cycle?

A stream changes the topography of the basin it passes through throughout time. The pattern and complexity of landforms that emerge are explained by gradient changes. The LIFE CYCLE of the stream is a model of these changes.

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Mini Me Geology's Discovery Zone

Is a river young or old the answer is in the curves.

Rivers are natural water bodies which flow toward another water body such as another river, lake or ocean.   Generally, larger bodies are called rivers while smaller water bodies, which flow into the rivers, are called other names such as creeks or brooks.   All rivers have a source (where the river starts) such as a lake, marsh or spring and flow downhill to a usually larger body of water.   In some cases, such as deserts, rivers may dry up before reaching a second water body due to the heat causing the water to evaporate (turn to vapor) or in other cases rivers may disappear because the water seeps into the rocks below.  

Rivers are classified by age.   “Young” (youthful) rivers are typically straight, have very few creeks which join them, are deeper than their width, and have fast moving waters because of their steep angle.   “Mature” rivers flow more slowly than young rivers because they are less steep, have more creeks that flow into them and are wider than they are deep.   “Old” rivers are very wide, with a gentle slope and have water that flows much more slowly than younger rivers.   Perhaps the most interesting fact about the age of a river is that the older the river gets, the more curves the river will have.   Take a look at the picture above.   Can you tell if it is Youthful, Mature or Old?   If you guessed, old, your are right.   The river in this photograph loops around the countryside so much that the loops are close to touching each other!

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Rivers are lifelines of our planet!

How fast are rivers?

Rivers are so diverse that there are incredible differences in the speed of the flowing, from almost stagnant lake stretches to wild rapids.

The distance water travels in a stream per unit time is called the stream velocity. In general, mountain rivers are very fast, while lowland rivers are slow.  Some of the rivers even sometimes flow in reverse, especially near the mouth to the other river, during the high waters. A moderately fast river flows at about 5 kilometers per hour (3 miles per hour), while fast streams during the floods exceed 25 kilometers per hour (15 miles per hour).

One of the easiest ways to determine the surface speed of the river is to use your GPS on your boat, like any other moving vehicle. You shouldn’t paddle, of course. Or, you can calculate the speed measuring the time that some floating object travels across some known distance.

The same river could have a different velocity at a different part of the course (upper is fast, while lower are slow. Even the same section could be very slow one moment and then rush down the rapids. Rafters know this well. Also, the same stretch of the river have different velocities at different parts of the cross-section. Finally, al these patterns chang with seasons, during the low and high waters.

The cross-sectional views of a stream in that a stream reaches its maximum velocity near the middle of the channel. When a stream goes around a curve, the region of maximum speed is displaced by inertia toward the outside of the curve. Velocity is the crucial factor in a stream’s ability to erode, transport, and deposit. High velocity (meaning greater energy) generally results in erosion and transportation; low velocity causes sediment deposition. Slight changes in velocity can cause significant changes in the sediment load carried by the river.

One factor that controls a stream’s velocity is the stream gradient . The downhill slope of the bed (or of the water surface, if the stream is very large). A stream gradient is usually measured meters per kilometer (feet per mile in the United States, because these units are used on U.S. maps). A gradient of 5 meters per kilometer means that the river drops 5 meters vertically for every mile that it travels horizontally. Mountain streams may have gradients as steep as 50 to 200 feet per mile (10 to 40 meters per kilometer). The lower Mississippi River has a very gentle gradient, 0.1 meter per kilometer (0.5 foot per mile) or less. A stream’s gradient usually decreases downstream. Typically, the gradient is highest in the headwater region and decreases toward the mouth of the stream. Rapids usually mark local increases in the gradient of a stream.

Channel Shape and Roughness

The shape of the channel also controls stream velocity. Flowing water drags against the stream banks and bed, and the resulting friction slows the water down.

A stream may change its channel width as it flows across different rock types. Hard, resistant rock is difficult to erode so that a stream may have a relatively narrow channel in such rock. As a result, it flows rapidly. If the stream flows onto a softer rock that is easier to erode, the channel may widen, and the river will slow down because of the increased surface area dragging on the flowing water. Sediment may be deposited as the velocity decreases.

The roughness of the channel also controls velocity. A stream can flow rapidly over a smooth channel, but a rough, boulder-strewn channel floor creates more friction and slows the flow. Coarse particles increase the roughness more than fine particles, and a rippled or wavy sand bottom is rougher than a smooth sand bottom.

Volume of Water

The volume of water that flows through a river within a given amount of time, known as the discharge, also affects its velocity. As the volume of water in a river increases, the velocity of the river increases. For instance, Amazon or Orinoco go faster than Mississippi or Danube. An increase in water volume can also affect a river’s velocity in the long term; this is because the increasing mass of water is capable of causing more erosion, resulting in a wider, deeper river channel that allows water to flow more freely.

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8.6: Rivers

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• Page ID 225

• Dawn Sumner
• University of California, Davis

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Transport Capacity

Erosion by water occurs when water is flowing across a surface and the flow is capable of transporting more sediment than is currently moving as bedload. This is called the sediment transport “capacity”. A certain number of grains of a certain size can be picked up by the Bernouli effect for a given flow. If there are too many grains, they start colliding and the characteristics of sediment transport change. Grains are directed back toward the bed and up into the flow. Eventually, more go back to the bed and are deposited, leaving fewer grains in the flow even at high flow speeds because there are more grains than the transport capacity of the flow.* In contrast, if there is a shortage of grains of a size that can be moved by the flow, e.g. the flow is moving all of grains present, any new grains will be eroded off the bed as soon as they are available. The flow then has excess transport capacity. * Think about dumping a truck load of fine sand into a fast moving river, it takes time to move all that sediment even if the flow speed is theoretically fast enough to erode fine sand. One of the most common times for a flow to have excess transport capacity is when the flow is speeding up. We know from the Hjulstrom diagram that faster flows transport larger grains. They can also transport more grains. Thus, water flowing downhill commonly speeds up, has excess capacity and erodes sediment. When it slows down, sediment is deposited. In floods, the water speeds up, erodes sediment, and transports it. As the flood ends, the water slows down and deposits the excess sediment. In general, erosion occurs when flows are speeding up or when they go from an environment with low sediment (e.g. a dam spillway) to an environment with more sediment (e.g. a river bed).

Rivers are responsible for most sediment transport from mountains to lowlands and the oceans. They do the most to even out the topography that tectonic processes create. Rivers consist of channel, bank and overbank or floodplain deposits. Most of the sediment and many river characteristics are controlled by the highest common flow speeds. River Types - Straight (rare, except for ones humans have modified) Meandering (high sinuosity) Braided (many branches within a channel) Anastomosing (rivers with branching and merging channels) The form of the river is controlled by the gradient of the river bed (steep = braided, gently dipping = meandering), local vegetation that stabilizes banks and limits the number of channels, sediment grain size, particularly the ratio of suspended versus bedload sediment, and sediment volume. A high bedload gives rise to abundant bars, which promotes formation of braided rivers.

Braided Rivers

Braided rivers develop when the proportion of bed load sediment is high, which produces abundant bedforms and promotes the development of bars, and thus, the braided character of the river. The sediment is commonly coarse, which requires fast flow and steep gradients for the sediment to be transported. Much of the geometry of braided rivers is shaped by the highest flows, e.g. spring floods, when the bars are covered in water. Many braided rivers have exposed bar tops for much of the year. Flow speeds and transport capacity vary dramatically within a braided river. Friction with the riverbed tends to slow down the flow, particularly where the flow is shallow. Thus, the Reynolds number in shallow areas is relatively low (but still high enough that the flow is turbulent) and the transport capacity is low. In contrast, the transport capacity and Reynolds number are much higher in the deeper middles of channels in the river. Thus, the coarsest sediment is transported here, whereas finer sediment gets deposited in shallow areas. Also, bars block the flow on the upstream sides, and like dunes, the upstream sides tend to erode. Areas of low flow and eddies form on the downstream sides of bars, and they are usually sites of net deposition. Thus, bars migrate downstream through time. If we summarize the processes:

Sediment Transport

• The coarsest sediment is transported in the middle of the flow where the Reynolds number is highest.
• Bars are eroded upstream where the bars deflect the flow. Sediment is deposited on downstream side of bars and some on the flanks of bars where flow is slower, particularly on the insides of bends.
• Secondary bedforms, i.e. planar beds, dunes, and ripples, form as a result of sediment transport on the bars and in the channels.

Sedimentary structures include:

• trough x-bedding in channels, due to the migration of irregular dunes
• coarsest sediment may be lower flat laminated if flow speeds are not fast enough to form coarse grained dunes
• sediment on the edges of bars fines upward because the flow is shallower and slower, e.g. has a lower Reynolds number. Sedimentary structures can include anything from upper flat to ripple laminations.

Braided River Facies

Channels migrate back and forth leaving a sheet of sand with abundant cross stratification. These sheets of sand tend to fine upward. General characteristics of braided river deposits include:

• Scoured surface at the base of a channel
• Gravel lag at base of channel
• Trough x-bedded sands deposited just off the center of channels
• Occasional tabular x-stratification from migrating bars
• Sand deposited at slower speeds (ripple cross lamination possible)
• Overbank deposits from floods mostly composed of sand and silt, with some mud

The large scale geometry of the deposits includes sheets of sand with various grain sizes representing bar migration separated by floodplain deposits.

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Meandering Rivers

Meandering rivers have a low gradient and thus slower flow, and usually have a high proportion of suspended sediment relative to the amount of bedload. A meandering river channel has curves that meander back and forth on a gently sloping floodplain. The flow speed in the channel varies with the geometry of the meanders. Water has to travel faster on the outside of bends than on the insides of bends. We know from the relationships between Reynolds number and bed shear stress that higher flow speeds mean that more and coarser sediment can be transported at higher flow speeds. Thus, we can predict that:

• there is more erosion on the outsides of bends
• the sediment moving near the outsides of bends and in the deepest parts should include the coarsest sediment available
• sediment will accumulate on the insides of bend and this sediment will be finer grained.

If we look at a channel in cross section, it is asymmetric, representing the sites of erosion and deposition. Variation in flow speed also produce different sedimentary structures. Upper planar lamination and dune cross stratification are common where Re is highest, and ripple cross lamination is common where Re is lower. The main parts of the channel include eroding bank, the thalweg (the deepest point of the flow) and the point bar (on the inside of the bend where most sediment is accumulating). As the channel migrates due to erosion and deposition, a distinctive suite of sedimentary structures accumulate. The deepest part is coarser and has upper planar lamination or dune cross stratification. This is overlain by finer sediment with current ripple lamination. As meandering rivers migrate, the meanders tend to increase. Eventually, the channel forms almost a circle, and the meander gets cut off, often during a flood. This straightens the channel temporarily and produces an ox bow lake in the abandoned meander. The lake accumulates mud and organic matter. Watch this cartoon of a meander migration in France: 
 http://faculty.gg.uwyo.edu/heller/SedMovs/Meander_Alliers.htm Levees and Floodplains - When a river floods, it goes from a confined flow in the channel which is very rapid to a widespread flow across the floodplain. It slows down very quickly and the water becomes shallower, both of which cause a decrease in Re. Thus, the water can not transport as much sediment on the floodplain as it does in the channel. Thus, finer sands that may be in suspension during a flood are transported as bedload or rapidly deposited once the river tops its banks. This produces levees. The finer silts and especially clays remain in suspension much longer and settle out on the floodplain as the flood waters dry up. Watch this model of a meandering river flood: 
 http://faculty.gg.uwyo.edu/heller/SedMovs/RhineFlood.htm Over time, the levees build up and provide a higher bank for the channel than the level of the floodplain. Thus, the channel bottom can aggrade (fill in) until the bottom of the channel is as high or higher than the floodplain. When the next flood comes along, the river avulses and does not go back into its old channel which is higher than a new one on the floodplain. This results in the downstream part of the channel being completely abandoned.

Meandering River Channel Facies

• Scoured base of flow
• Lag deposit with mud rip-up clasts and the coarsest grains being transported
• Fining upward sands with trough cross stratification
• Rippled sands
• Sigmoidal cross stratification from migrating point bars

Floodplain Facies

• Fine sand with climbing ripples
• Mudstone/shale with mud cracks

Ox Bow Lake Facies

• Mudstone/shale without mud cracks
• Organic-rich deposits, including coal
• Anoxic water indicators (especially in fossils and absence of trace fossils)

Differences between braided and meandering river deposits

• Braided river deposits are commonly coarser grained
• Meandering rivers contain abundant suspended sediment, which is deposited in ox bow lakes and on floodplains.
• Overbank deposits are better developed and finer grained in meandering river systems.
• Bar migration is much more regular in direction in meandering rivers because there is a well defined, single thalweg towards which the bars migrate. In contrast, braided river bar migration occurs in multiple directions. Thus, meandering rivers produce a more regular geometry of tabular cross bedding, when preserved.

General Characteristics of Fluvial Sediments

• On a large scale, river deposits consist of sheets and lenses of sand deposited in channels associated with flat laminated shales and silts with rare rippled sand beds deposited on floodplains.
• Fining upward sequences of beds in the sands with sedimentary structures that indicate decreasing flow speeds.
• Abundant cross stratification in well sorted sands, particularly trough cross stratification.
• Cut banks at the edges of channels - these are good indicators of a migrating river channel, but can be hard to see in outcrop since they are rarely preserved
• Soil development in associated shales deposited in the floodplain environment.

Look at pictures of fluvial rocks at http://mygeologypage.ucdavis.edu/sumner/gel109/SedStructures/Fluvial.html

Template:Summer

This mesmerizing time lapse shows a river changing course over time

by Joseph Stromberg

( Time/Google )

When you stand next to a river, its path doesn't seem to move. But this series of satellite images of Peru's Ucayali River — featured in Time Magazine's Timelapse project — reveals something pretty remarkable.

Over the course of fewer than 20 years, its path crawls back and forth, carving out deeper and deeper curves before cutting them off and starting over.

All rivers naturally change their path over time, but this one forms meanders (the technical name for these curves) at an especially fast rate, due to the speed of the water, the amount of sediment in it, and the surrounding landscape.

Why rivers meander

Initially, when a slight curve is already present in the river, water travels around the outer edge of the curve faster than the inner edge, because it's covering a greater distance in the same amount of time.

As water moves faster, more of the sediment in it stays suspended , instead of settling to the bottom. So along the inside of the curve, sediment gradually gets deposited as it settles out of the slower-moving water. Along the outside of the curve, more sediment stays suspended, and some of it scrapes against the riverbank, carving out the curve further.

This process accelerates as the meander becomes more curvy, since there's a bigger and bigger difference in water speed. Eventually, though, when adjacent curves in the river become so curvy that they meet, water punches through, looking for the shortest path.

This cuts the curve off entirely, forming a separate body of water called an oxbow lake , which often dries up quickly. You can see this whole process happen in several places in the GIF at top (and in the diagram at right, by Wikipedia user Maksim ).

We think of rivers as stable features of the landscape: something we can build towns and cities next to, and expect to stay in the same spot permanently. But in reality, they're constantly moving — and as much as we try it's impossible to keep them entirely under control.

*Hat tip to the How Things Work twitter account for spotting the time lapse.

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Do mature rivers travel fast?

No, mature rivers do not travel fast. They flow at a moderate rate that falls in between the slow flow of old rivers and the quick flow of young rivers. Mature rivers have experienced severe erosion and are now in a rather stable condition. They can transport more water since their channels are often deeper and wider.

Are mature rivers fast?

Mature rivers flow more slowly than young rivers because they are less steep, have more creeks that flow into them, and are wider than they are deep.

Do old rivers travel fast or slow?

Old-stage rivers flow very slowly through a very broad, flat floodplain. They have a gentle slope and their water flows much more slowly than younger rivers.

What are the characteristics of a mature river?

A mature river has a gradient that is less steep than those of youthful rivers and flows more slowly. It is fed by many tributaries and has more discharge than a youthful river. The channels of a mature river erode wider rather than deeper.

What type of river travels fast?

Mountain rivers are generally very fast, while lowland rivers are slow.

Why Do Rivers Curve?

Rivers curve due to a combination of factors such as the natural course of erosion, the shape of the terrain, and the flow of water. The curves in a river, known as meanders, gradually change over time due to the erosion and deposition of sediment.

What is the mature stage of a river?

The mature stage of a river formation is characterized by a reduced speed of the river, which leads to a decrease in vertical cutting and an increase in the widening of the river. Sediments are deposited in the mature stage, leading to the formation of flood plains.

Which is the slowest stage of the river?

The slowest stage of a river is the old age stage. In this stage, the river flows very slowly and calmly. It has been flowing for a long time, resulting in a mild gradient and the formation of wide floodplains and deltas.

What do mature rivers do?

Mature rivers with decreasing gradients result in the settling and deposition of sediments, leading to the formation of sediment structures. Fast-flowing zones of a mature river cause erosion of the river banks, forming cliffs called cut-banks. On slower inside turns, sediment is deposited as point-bars.

Which characteristic is most common in mature rivers?

One of the most common characteristics of a mature river is the presence of meanders. These rivers have distinct features such as meanders, floodplains, and oxbow lakes.

How do old rivers travel?

Old rivers flow slowly and have been flowing for a very long time. They have had plenty of opportunity to erode the soil and create a mild gradient. Wide floodplains and deltas are formed as a result of the silt deposition along the rivers’ slow passage.

Are deep rivers faster?

In general, deeper flows have a slower velocity than shallow flows. The slope of the stream or parking lot, and the roughness of the ground over which the water flows, are important factors affecting the speed of a river’s flow.

Why do rivers move so fast?

The energy of flowing river water comes from the force of gravity, which pulls the water downward. The steeper the slope of a river, the faster the river moves and the more energy it has. The movement of water in a river is called a current. The current is usually strongest near the river’s source.

Do shallow rivers flow faster?

Shallow rivers flow faster than deep rivers, as there is less friction between the water and the stream bed. The width of the channel also affects the speed of flow, with wider channels resulting in slower flow due to increased friction.

What is the fastest part of a river?

The fastest part of a river is typically located where there is a steep grade or a narrow passage. This can be observed in places like the Niagara River, from just below the falls to a little beyond the Whirlpool, where the current is moving faster due to the force of gravity.

Do mature rivers have many meanders?

Yes, mature rivers have many meanders. They have well-defined curves in their courses, which are formed over time due to erosion and deposition processes.

How is the speed of a river’s flow determined?

The speed of a river’s flow is determined by factors such as the gradient of the stream, the volume of water, and the channel characteristics. Measuring devices called current meters are used to measure water velocity at predetermined points along a river.

What is the oldest river in the world?

The Finke River is often considered the oldest river in the world. Its age has been deduced from observation and analysis of various factors in the geology of the area.

At which point would the stream most likely be flowing fastest?

In a stream, the water flow velocity is decreased by friction along the stream bed, so it is slowest at the bottom and edges and fastest near the surface and in the middle.

Do rivers flow slowly?

Rivers can flow at different speeds depending on factors such as the gradient, volume of water, and channel characteristics. While some rivers may flow slowly, others can flow more rapidly, especially in steep terrain.

What stops a river from flowing?

Natural river flow can be interrupted by various factors, such as dams or man-made structures that create barriers and disrupt the natural dynamics of the river.

What is a slow river called?

A slow-moving river is often referred to as a meandering river. These rivers flow at a slower pace due to the flat terrain and the natural curving of the river’s course.

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Moving water is responsible for the creation of many unique landforms. Some of these landforms include:

• V-Shaped Valleys : Young rivers with swiftly flowing water often carve deep V-shaped valleys . The V-shape is the result of the fast-flowing water eroding the underlying riverbed faster than it erodes the riverbanks on the side.

• Meanders : A meander is a wide curve in the course of a stream or a river. Meanders are produced because water flowing on the outside of a slight bend flows faster and erodes the bank more quickly than slower moving water on the inside of the curve. Over time, what was initially a slight bend in the river or stream, will instead become a large curve, or a meander. A special case of a meander occurs when the wide curve is eroded deep into a canyon or a valley as seen in the San Juan River in Utah. This is known as an incised meander .
• Oxbow Lakes : A meander usually becomes larger and larger with time. Eventually the curve may become so pronounced that the river or stream cuts off the curve and follows a shorter path. Deposition on the banks of the shorter path eventually blocks off the old meander, isolating it. The cut-off meander becomes a separate, curved body of water known as an oxbow lake .
• Delta : The speed of a river abruptly slows down when it meets a large body of water like a lake or an ocean. Much of the suspended sediment that the river is carrying is dropped once its speed decreases. This results in a fan-shaped deposit at the mouth of a river known as a delta . The Nile River delta in Egypt, for example, is one of the largest deltas in the world covering almost 240 kilometers (approximately 150 miles) of the Mediterranean coastline.

Measuring the Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon in Arizona has been formed over the course of the last 17 million years by the erosive action of the Colorado River . The canyon itself has a maximum depth of 1.83 km (6,000 ft), and a maximum width of 29 km (18 mi).

• Click here to zoom in on a narrow part of the canyon.
• Click here to add in a terrain profile at this part of the Grand Canyon.

The terrain profile shows a cross-section of the canyon.

• Move your mouse over the terrain profile graph. Cross-hairs will appear as you move the cursor.
• Note how the elevation (measured as above sea level) changes as you move the cursor.
• What are the maximum and minimum elevations for our profile?
• What is the maximum depth of the canyon in our profile?
• Which side of the profile (left or right) has the maximum height, and what is this height? What is the height of the lower side?
• What is the height difference between the two sides of the Grand Canyon here?
• Now change your location and view of the canyon and see how the profile changes. Do this several times.

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Pro Tips For Navigating Rivers

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Flow and other factors can make negotiating rivers significantly more challenging than lakes or other bodies of water. Here are the basics for operating safely.

Compensating for current is a skill that river boaters learn whenlaunching, docking and loading. 

Boating a river offers sights and experiences that are unique to enjoying a waterway that moves. That’s part of the allure of floating atop a flow where the landscape and water features are ever-changing and land is never out of sight. As intriguing as that sounds, it’s important to know those experiences include situations and challenges that boaters are unlikely to face when cruising inland lakes and reservoirs.

Boating on a river versus a lake is akin to flying an airplane versus driving a motor vehicle (and a major reason I have little desire to attempt the former). When cruising a lake or driving a car, if something goes wrong, such as engine failure, you have the option of pulling over to a safe location and stopping to address the situation. That’s certainly not possible when flying, or when navigating a river where currents can conspire to keep you going with the flow. Even attempting to anchor and take stock of a situation can get you into trouble.

That said, most river boating takes place on placid inland waterways that often resemble lakes, with a gentle flow and offer few concerns beyond those faced when cruising lakes and bays. Just know that it’s the flow – however slight or significant – that creates extra challenges to boaters navigating inland streams and rivers. Here’s how that may affect you and what to consider for each.

Laborious Launch and Load

Launching and loading a boat onto a trailer can be frustrating in the face of current. The latter can be especially stressful when you factor in the pace and pressure of the water when lining up the boat to the trailer. Depending on conditions, the skipper may have to aim several yards upstream of the trailer on the approach (when the current is broadside) to allow the bow of the boat to split the guide-ons. The only way to determine how much the current is affecting your approach to a dock or trailer is to test the waters (pun intended) to learn how powerful the current is in relation to your boat and the approach speed required to maintain control. Take several dry runs at your target when your boat is broadside to the current, or at whatever angle required to achieve a controlled landing.

Docking Difficulties

Ditto for docking, where current and eddies can wreak havoc on a craft operated by a skipper who has little experience with river boating. The challenges at the dock aren’t limited to the approach and departure in the face of a strong current; the consequences of a dockline failure are exacerbated by the force of the moving water. A slipped mooring line on a boat docked atop a lake faces only (and that’s relative) the force of the breeze to push it around.

The same situation taking place on a river can send a vessel downstream or sink it if the remaining line is tied fast to a rear cleat and the boat swings like a pendulum to face the current transom-first. Try to get the first line securely around a piling upstream of the current at your boat. If something goes amiss with the lines, you’ll hopefully swing in a more controlled manner.

Lock Matters

The dams found on many inland rivers, such as those along the Mississippi, create a series of navigational pools that may stretch for miles between each stoppage. Each dam along such a route can be thought of as a step in the river as it descends to the Gulf of Mexico. A lock associated with lock-and-dam structures includes a water-filled chamber large enough for boats to enter, sometimes several at a time. The chamber features gates at each end that open and close as needed to allow water and boats to enter or leave. Once a boat is in the lock, water is added to the chamber to raise a boat to the level of the upstream pool, or released from the chamber to lower a boat to the downstream pool.

As water is drawn in and discharged from a lock chamber, powerful hydraulic currents are created, and restricted areas are established to protect boaters in the vicinity of locks and dams. For example, along the Mississippi River, boats may not enter the area 600 feet upstream and 150 feet downstream from the dam (including auxiliary locks not in service). Additional restrictions may be posted at each dam or spillway.

When approaching a lock, contact the lockmaster via VHF Channel 14 or look for a signal cord on the lock approach wall and give it a yank to let the tender know you are there. Keep in mind that the chamber may be locking craft through from the other side and you may have to wait until the lock tender opens the gates and signals by hand or green light that it’s your turn to enter.

At that point, proceed slowly into the lock and note the mooring lines spaced along lock wall and designate your “holder(s)” from among your passengers. Make certain they know that their lines should be held by hand to maintain the boat’s position along the wall and normally not tied to the boat while in the lock chamber and the boat is rising or falling with the water levels. Fenders may be deployed and passengers on deck should don life jackets, remain seated (unless they are handling the boat), and keep their hands inside the boat unless necessary for line handling … and then use great caution. Upon completion of the lock-filling or emptying operation, and when the gates are fully open, a signal will be given by the lock operator by hand, voice, or a single blast of a horn when it is safe to depart. — D.A.

Flotsam and Jetsam

After a heavy rain, river water often carries shore debris that can pile up against a hull or anchor rode creating pressure that can compound that of the current alone. Waterborne debris is an even bigger threat to boaters underway. While cruising anywhere it’s important to maintain a lookout for flotsam that needs to be avoided, the threat of submerged logs and their ilk is more common on rivers that are constantly scouring the riverbanks for debris to carry downstream. It’s especially important to maintain a watch after a rain that will swell a river and introduce more obstacles.

Watch your Wake

If the river is narrow, it’s important to be aware of your boat’s wake, the effects of which can be exacerbated when the waves are contained within the banks. Rivers are also popular with shore anglers, who you want to give a wide berth to avoid disrupting their fishing and accidently crossing their lines with your boat’s outdrive. And small boat anglers who may be anchored along the shore are especially susceptible to wakes, which may be not just an inconvenience, but may throw the boat into the shoreside roots and branches.

Radio Rules

Day or night, should something go wrong while navigating a river, remember that VHF Channel 16 is a calling and distress channel monitored by the Coast Guard, and communications should be kept short, limited to initial contact only, unless there is an emergency. VHF Channel 22A is an option for communication with the U.S. Coast Guard and may come in handy when navigational questions arise during a river cruise. — D.A.

Anchoring Advisories

Anchoring in a river offers other challenges. Bottom types can vary greatly and change often with the fluctuating current and the topography. When seeking an anchorage, it pays to study not only up-to-date navigational charts but the shoreline composition as well. The latter can give you an idea of what’s underneath the water adjacent to the shore. When anchoring, do so far off the main channel, especially if you share the waters with commercial craft such as tugs and barges. Their deep drafts limit them to the deeper water, and collision avoidance options may be few.

Watch Other Vessels

While making way, keep in mind that larger vessels, commercial or recreational, may have significant steerage issues because of their size and draft, especially their momentum when going downstream. Offer these craft a wide berth and a sharp eye for sudden changes in direction when approaching shoals, river bends, locks, and bridges, and monitor VHF Channel 13 for bridge-to-bridge communication as needed. Remember, depending on topography and shoreside structures, VHF, which only works line-of-sight, may be sketchy.

“Locking through” is a process common on many inland waterways that may call for some advance planning and knowledge. For example, the lines draping the lock walls should normally be held by hand as the water levels rise and recede within the chamber. 

Locks and Bridges

Speaking of locks, which are common on larger inland rivers, if your destination requires a “locking through,” study-up on the local signal rules, right-of-way rules, and the VHF channel(s) to use during the process. The same goes for drawbridges that may need to be opened to accommodate your vessel’s passage. Contact the tender to confirm requests for opening, answer any questions about the procedure, or exchange information. Drawbridges may also have defined opening schedules to reduce traffic backup, which can vary with the hour, day, and time of year, and may be posted on the bridge itself.

Other Water Features

River boaters are advised not to rely solely on buoys for navigation because of their potential unreliability due to removal, relocation, or establishment whenever the U.S. Coast Guard determines a buoy posting is needed for the safety of navigation. Learn to read the water as you proceed, identifying eddies, upwellings, and shallows that may indicate where you may safely proceed. Pay attention to which water features in your area, such as upwellings or eddies, may indicate what lies below. Between maintenance visits by a Coast Guard buoy tender, channels and obstructions can shift and the water depth changes. Sometimes extra-strong current or debris will drag or destroy an aid to navigation.

Even with lighted buoys and markers to guide your route, as a matter of safety, the Coast Guard (and BoatU.S.) strongly advise against any after-dark river cruising. I speak from experience.

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Dan Armitage

Contributing Editor, BoatUS Magazine

A full-time travel and outdoors writer based in Ohio, Dan is in his 20th season hosting the popular syndicated radio show Buckeye Sportsman. He gets around on a pontoon boat and an Aquasport center-console, which he uses for all his DIY editorial projects and fishing features. A USCG Captain (Master 50-ton), he’s a popular speaker at boat and sport shows.

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Do old river travel fast

No, as their sources are in steep mountains, the water runs more quickly (although there is less of it).

Generally, the older a river is, the slower it travels.

No, young rivers are fast and furious.

Add your answer:

Match the type of river to its best description?

Mature rivers - Travel slowly Young rivers - Travel fast Old rivers - Travel VeRy SlOwLy Apex :D

What does barrier to travel mean?

It means something that makes travel difficult. Like mountains or a fast river. Or you have no legs, or you are four years old, or you have four small children. Or no money.

Are young rivers travel fast?

The speeds of river vary so much, even on individual river, that any attempt to answer this would devolve into nonsense.

Match the type of river to its best description. A. Mature rivers b. Young rivers c. Old rivers?

A. travel sowly B travel fast C. travel very slowly

How fast do most passenger river boat travel in knots - most river boats around the world travel at the same speed?

Most of the passenger river boat travels at 35 knots per hour.

How fast can a young river travel?

A mature river, since the water is cold, normally travels around 10-25mph.

How fast do young rivers travel?

Do young rivers travel fast or slow.

A young river is very active. It is still at the upper course. It moves at a characteristic high speed that enhances its active down-cutting and under-cutting. Its competence is very high due to its speed. An old river on the other hand is characterised by its materials and also the topography of its course. The old river has lost its competence due to the gradient of its course. The speed is low compared to a young river.

What were the problems with river travel?

River travel was a slow and risky way to travel. Traveling by boat limited the person to the direction of the river and its temperament. If the river was high and wild then travel may not be able to be made.

How does a flea travel so fast 7.1?

how does a flea travel so fast

Some fast do light rays travel?

Yes, they travel some fast!

I need information on the Chicago River and fast?

Ok so I need a ton of info fast. Could you help a little 10 year old girl out?

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