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The Flow of Fresh Water Chapter 11
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Rivers: Agents of Erosion
Many years ago there was a vast plain in the southwestern U.S. Over the years the Colorado River cut out the Grand Canyon This was done by erosion.
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Grand Canyon
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Grand Canyon
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Grand Canyon
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Erosion The process by which soil and sediment are transported from one location to another.
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Erosion can be caused by:
Wind Rain Ice Snow
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Wind
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Rain
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Ice
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Snow
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The Water Cycle The continuous movement of water from the ocean, to the air, to the land, then back to the ocean.
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Some Water Cycle Words to know:
Evaporation: When water from oceans, lakes, and other places on Earth’s surface turns in to water vapor and rises into the atmosphere. Condensation: When water vapor cools and changes into water droplets that form clouds
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More Words Precipitation: When rain, sleet or snow falls to the Earth.
Percolation: When water moves through pores in the earth’s surface into the ground Runoff: Water that flows over land into lakes, seas, or oceans. Water that flows over land into lakes, seas, or oceans.
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Now you try! On the next slide, label all of the words below.
Evaporation Condensation Percolation Runoff Precipitation
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River Systems A tributary is a small stream that flows into a lake, or a larger stream.
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Watershed A watershed is an area of land that is drained by a water system. The largest in the U.S. is the Mississippi Watershed.
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Other Watersheds Columbia Rio Grande Colorado
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Divide A divide is an area of higher ground that separates water sheds from each other.
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How does this divide separate the U.S. and its watersheds?
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Channel A channel is the path that a stream follows.
A new stream will have a narrow, steep channel. An older stream will have a wider, and deeper channel.
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The Ability to Erode Gradient: Measure of change in elevation over a certain distance Discharge: The amount of water a stream or river carries Load: The material carried by a stream
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Gradient The steeper a stream is the more erosive energy it has
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Discharge The more water a river will discharge the more erosive power it will have.
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Load Load is affected by speed. Fast = large particles
Slow = Smaller particles
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Stages of a River Rivers go through a “life cycle.” Youthful Mature
Old
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Youthful Youthful rivers have a steep gradient, a steep and narrow channel, and many waterfalls. The channel will erode deeper, rather than wider.
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Mature Mature Rivers have a gradient that is not as steep as a youthful river. They have few falls and rapids. They will erode wider rather than deeper.
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Old Old rivers have a low gradient and little erosive energy. They deposit rather than erode.
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Rejuvenated Rivers Rejuvenated rivers are mature rivers that have a steeper gradient due to land rising because of tectonic activity.
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