Do rivers have branches?

Do rivers have branches?

River bifurcation (from Latin: furca, fork) occurs when a river flowing in a single stream separates into two or more separate streams (called distributaries) which then continue downstream. Some rivers form complex networks of distributaries, typically in their deltas.

What is a confluence of a river?

A confluence occurs when two or more flowing bodies of water join together to form a single channel. Confluences occur where a tributary joins a larger river, where two rivers join to create a third or, where two separated channels of a river, having formed an island, rejoin downstream.

What is a river part?

The upper course, middle course, and lower course are the three parts of the river. The source of a river can be found on the upper course. The land is usually high and mountainous, and the river has a steep gradient with fast-flowing water.

What is the branch of river that flows away from the mainstream known as?

Distributaries
A distributary, or a distributary channel, is a stream that branches off and flows away from a main stream channel. Distributaries are a common feature of river deltas. The phenomenon is known as river bifurcation.

What is a levee of a river?

A levee is a natural or artificial wall that blocks water from going where we don’t want it to go. Levees may be used to increase available land for habitation or divert a body of water so the fertile soil of a river or sea bed may be used for agriculture. They prevent rivers from flooding cities in a storm surge.

What is a delta of a river?

Deltas are wetlands that form as rivers empty their water and sediment into another body of water. The Nile delta, created as it empties into the Mediterranean Sea, has a classic delta formation. This causes sediment, solid material carried downstream by currents, to fall to the river bottom.

What is the calm part of a river called?

Off-channel area – Any relatively calm portion of a stream outside of the main flow.

What is the end of a river called?

mouth
The headwater can come from rainfall or snowmelt in mountains, but it can also bubble up from groundwater or form at the edge of a lake or large pond. The other end of a river is called its mouth, where water empties into a larger body of water, such as a lake or ocean.

What is the main part of the river called?

The start of a river is called the source or head water. The part of the river that is near the source is called a ‘young’ river. A young river is often in a V-shaped river bed, and flows quickly downhill over stones, and around big rocks. Young rivers often have lots of small waterfalls and rapids.

What is the upper part of a river called?

The upper course, middle course, and lower course make up the river. The source of a river is closest to the upper course. The land is high and mountainous, and the river is fast-flowing.