River Systems

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River Systems

• Earth Science -- Chapter 10
• Scholz
• Pioneer Middle School

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A Streams Load
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What is a River System

• A river with all of its tributaries.
• A river system can be split into three parts. The
  headwater tributaries collect water and sediment
  from erosion and channel them into the
  transporting system.
• Erosion and deposition can occur in the
  transportation system. Sedimentary deposition
  occurs at dispersal with the creation of deltas
  and bars.

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Gradient

• The angle of slope down which a river or stream
  flows. A steep gradient is typical of a young
  mountain stream, whilst a gentle gradient is
  typical of a mature lowland river.

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• A tributary is a stream or river which flows into
  a mainstem of a main river.
• a distributary, which is a river branch that
  flows away from the main stream.
• A river and all its tributaries drain the
  watershed of the river.

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Delta Formation The deposit at the mouth of a
river is usually roughly triangular in shape.
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Meander

• Erosion occurs on the outside of a curve
  while deposition occurs on the inside. The river
  forms snake-like meanders eventually, the water
  breaks through the neck of the meander,
  shortening the river flow and forming an oxbow
  lake.