1. Stream Erosion and Deposition
Grand Canyon, AZ
Earth Science
Mr. Cloud

2. The Evolution of a Stream
Mr. Cloud: Age 15
Runoff Rills/Gullies  Streams  Rivers

3. Streams Running water erosion confined to a channel
Tributary: a smaller stream that flows into a larger stream
i.e. the west branch of the Delaware river (Catskills, NY)

4. Watershed: an area of land drained by any one stream i. e
Watershed: an area of land drained by any one stream i.e. the Mississippi watershed
Divide: line/boundary separating watersheds
i.e. The Great Divide

5. Three Factors that Affect Stream Velocity
1. Gradient: slope of the stream
as the slope of the land increases, stream velocity increases
2. Discharge: volume of water in a stream
as discharge increases, stream velocity increases
3. Stream Channel Shape: shape of the bedrock or loose materials that confine the stream

6. How do streams carry sediment?

7. What occurs to the sediment load when velocity changes?
When stream velocity increases, sediment load and size increase
When stream velocity decreases, sediment load and size decreases.
ESRT pg. 6

9. V-Shaped Valleys

10. How does water velocity change within a river?
**Meandering Stream: curving stream
occurs when gradient decreases
occurs when velocity decreases
- “Old” Stream/River

11. What occurs to stream velocity when a stream meanders?

12. Formation of an Oxbow Lake

13. Formation of an Oxbow Lake

14. Formation of an Oxbow Lake
erosion accelerates on the outside of the meander
meander loops form and converge
meander is cut off, water takes path of least resistance, and an oxbow lake forms

15. What occurs to a stream in times of flood?
Mississippi Flood Plain
(shuttle color-enhanced image)

16. Natural Levees
Levee: is a natural or artificial slope or wall to regulate water levels. It is usually earthen and often parallel to the course of a river or the coast.

17. How the Levees Failed: Hurricane Katrina

18. Mississippi River (normal) Mississippi River at Flood Stage

19. Mississippi flooding in Missouri
Bracing for Flood: Clarksville, MO
Mississippi flooding in Missouri

20. What occurs to a stream when it reaches a large body of water?
Delta: very end of a stream or river (mouth)
Mississippi Delta

21. Horizontal Sorting

22. Sorting