Drainage Basin Flashcards
What is a Drainage Basin?
A drainage basin is an area of land around the river that is drained by the river and its tributaries.
Watershed
the area of high land forming the edge of a river basin
Source
Where the river begins
Mouth
where the river meets the sea
Confluence
the point at which two rivers mee
Tributary
a small river or stream that joins a larger river
Channel
Where the river flows
Upper Course
in the upper course, where the river starts, there is often an upland area. The river’s load is large in the upper course, as it hasn’t been broken down by erosion yet.
Lower Course
in the lower course, the land is a lot flatter. The river’s load is fine sediment, as erosion has broken down the rocks.