1. Watersheds and Rivers

2. Watersheds and River Basins
A watershed is all of the land area whose water drains into a stream, lake or wetland.
A river basin is all the water that drains in a large river.

4. River Basin

5. Watersheds
The watershed of the Mississippi River is the largest watershed in North America!

6. Stream System
A stream is runoff water that begins to flow more permanently in a channel.
A large stream is called a river.
The smaller streams that feed into it are called tributaries

8. Stop and Think Label the diagramC

9. Rivers Carrying capacity is the ability of a stream to…
transport material
STOP AND THINK: What does a river
transport? (besides water)
Nutrients
Cargo or transport goods
Organisms

10. Parts of a River Beginning or start- source (headwaters)
Bends and twists- meander
A stagnant lake that is formed alongside a winding river because of soil erosion, leaving an abandoned stream channel, cut off from the rest of the river- oxbow lake
End of the river – mouth or delta

11. Stop and Think Label the diagram