Rivers –tributaries Drainage basin Divides Channel The streams & rivers that flow into a larger river –Creates a river system Watershed – land drained by a river system –Example: Mississippi River Basin Drains Rockies to East side of TN & KY out Gulf of Mexico A general higher ground that divides the drainage basins from each other The path a stream follows –1. small & steep = young –2. wider & deep = older –Get larger = become rivers

Gradient Discharge Load Stages of a River The measure of the change in elevation over a certain distance High = high erosion, lots of energy Low = low erosion, less energy The amount of water a stream or river carries in a given amt. of time –Rain, melting snow (increase) –Drought (decrease) The materials carried by the stream/river waters The different stages a river goes through from start to finish

Stages: Youthful Rivers Stages: Mature/Old Rivers River/Stream Deposits –Alluvium –Deltas Channel deeper than wide Steep gradient – flow faster Straight, steep path –Rapids (over rocks) & waterfalls –Not many tributaries Channel wider than deep Less steep gradient – flows slower Curvy, meandering pathmeandering –Has tributaries Rock & soil deposited by streams/rivers A fan-shaped deposit of alluvium deposited where a river meets a large body of water (Mississippi River Delta)Mississippi River Delta