River Basin Flashcards
What is a watershed?
The watershed is the edge of the river basin.
What is the source of a river?
The source is where the river starts.
What are tributaries?
Tributaries are small streams or rivers that run into the main river channel.
What is a confluence?
The confluence is the point where the tributary meets up with the main channel.
What is a meander?
A meander is a bend in the river.
What is an ox-bow lake?
An ox-bow lake is where a meander has been cut off and a small lake has formed.
What is a floodplain?
The floodplain is the flat land in the lower course of the river, which is prone to flooding.
What is an estuary?
The estuary is a wide area near the mouth of the river where the sea (salt) water mixes with fresh water, forming brackish water.
What is the mouth of a river?
The mouth is the point where the river reaches the sea.
At this point, the river drops much of the load it has been carrying, which sometimes forms a delta.
