Parts of a river

River it is a natural watercourse that runs from a higher part to a lower part and that flows into another river, the sea or a lake. In Brazil, there is a wide variety of names for water courses: river, stream, stream, etc.

You rivers are of great importance for the organization of the geographic space. Can be used for irrigation, generation of electricity, means of transport and supply of homes and businesses. Furthermore, fishing is an important economic activity and a source of food for many families. For this reason, it is essential to know these water courses better.

parts of a river

  • Source: it is the place where underground water reaches the surface, giving rise to a watercourse. The point where the water surfaces is also called a water hole, mine, spring, spout or spring;

  • Bed: it is the space occupied by the waters, that is, it is the path that the river takes;

  • Margin: it is where the water meets the land. This term is usually used in reference to the water's edge of a river or lake when it meets the land;

  • Affluent: is the stream that flows into a main river or lake. These are the tributaries that feed the main river;

  • Subafluent: it is the river that flows into the tributary river;

  • Confluence: it is the junction point between two streams of water, which come together to form a new river;

  • Meander: it is the crooked path of a watercourse;

  • Mouth or mouth: it is the place where a stream of water, like a river, flows out. Thus, a river may have as its mouth another river, a large lake, a pond, a sea or the ocean;

  • Downstream: it is the direction of the current in a watercourse from the source to the mouth;

  • Amount: it is the opposite direction to the flow of the river, towards the source.

The water courses have parts classified as spring, mouth, meander, tributaries and sub-afluents
Water courses have parts classified as spring, mouth, meander, tributaries and sub-afluents Title: Parts of water courses

In addition to the parts of the rivers, there are other concepts related to Hydrography that are essential to better understand the watercourses.

Let's look at some of these definitions:

  • plateau rivers: run in high lands, are usually large, have waterfalls and can be used to generate electricity or for tourism;

  • plain rivers: run on flat areas and are good for navigation when there are no obstacles.

  • Bowlhydrographic: is the set of all elements of a river and the land drained by the watercourse.


By Amarolina Ribeiro
Graduated in Geography

Source: Brazil School - https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/geografia/partes-um-rio.htm

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