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Rivers Flashcards

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189695942River/streamflowing body of water that flows downhill with a definite path carrying particles and dissolved materials
189695943Channelthe river's path
189695944Loadwhat the river carries
189695945River principleThe principle means by which water from precipitation returns to the ocean
189695946Tributariescontributing streams that diminish in size upstream
189695947Drainage basinthe river and all its tributaries
189695948Drainage basin boundariesusually mountains or other areas of higher elevation
1896959495 Largest Drainage Basins1. Mississippi 2. Mackenzie (Canada) 3. Amazon (S. America) 4. Nile 5. Yangtze/Yellow River (China)
189695950Drainage Divideboundary between drainage basins
189695951Continental Divideadjacent drainage basins drain in different directions off the continent (drain to different oceans)
189695952Types of drainage patterns1. dendritic 2. trellis 3. radial 4. rectangular
189695953Dendritic Drainage Patterngentle slope, uniform materials, most common
189695954Trellis Drainage Patternforms resistant ridges
189695955Radial Drainage Patternneeds some form of a central uplift (high spot)
189695956Rectangular Drainage Patterntwo directions of structural control
189695957Dischargevolume of water passing by in (usually) 1 second
189695958Discharge formulaQ = w * d * v = X m3/second Discharge = width x depth x velocity of stream
189695959Hydrographplot of discharge versus time
189695960Gauging stationinstrument adjacent to streams that collects river data
189695961Basin lagtime elapsed between rainfall and peak discharge by the river
189695962Factors that increase basin lag1. wetlands 2. heavy vegetation (lots of roots and plants to suck up water) 3. convoluted drainage (more twists and turns for water to go through)
189695963Factors that decrease basin lag1. paved areas (water doesn't soak in) 2. tiled areas 3. low vegetation areas (crop lands, burned areas)
189820011Suspended transportationParticles "float" through river
189820012Types of bed load transportationRolling Bouncing Sliding
189886966Describe ion transportationmaterial dissolved in solution
189886967Channel TypesStraight Meandering Braided
189886968How meanders are formed1. River starts straight 2. Something causes water to deflect (tree, etc.) 3. Erosion begins on cutbank side (outside) 4. Deposition begins on point bar side 5. Meander neck may cut off and form oxbow lake
189886969Flood Plainflat valley bottom, normally capped by alluvium (deposited sediments), prone to flooding
189962855Straight Channel
189962856Meandering Channel
189962857Braided Channel
189962858What are flood plains good for?Agriculture
189962859Alluvial fansediment left where river ends and the water evaporates or sinks
189962860Where are alluvial fans common?Mountainous and deser arears
189962861DistributariesStream branches outward
189962862Deltawhere a river reaches standing water
189962863Natural leveewhen a river floods and then recedes, it leaves sediment along river banks

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