Deck 4: Fluvial Processes and Flooding

How is stream discharge (Q) defined?

Cross-sectional area × velocity (Q = A × V)

Which drainage pattern forms around a mountain peak?

Radial drainage

Which drainage pattern looks like tree branches?

Dendritic drainage

What is the main agent of erosion in rivers?

Running water

What is a floodplain?

Flat area adjacent to a river, formed by sediment deposition during floods

What is a meander?

A curve or bend in a river channel

What is base level?

Lowest point a stream can erode to (usually sea level)

What is a cut bank?

Erosional side of a meander

What is a point bar?

Depositional side of a meander

What is a natural levee?

Raised banks formed by repeated flooding and sediment deposition

What is a delta?

Sediment deposit at a river mouth entering standing water

What is stream gradient?

Slope of a stream channel

What is stream competence?

Maximum particle size a stream can carry

What is stream capacity?

Total amount of sediment a stream can carry

What is a levee breach?

Failure of raised banks, causing flooding

What is a flash flood?

Sudden, short-lived flood caused by intense rainfall

What is a regional flood?

Long-lasting flood covering large areas

What is a braided stream?

Stream with multiple intertwining channels

What is a yazoo tributary?

Stream running parallel to a main river, blocked by levees

What is a distributary?

Smaller channel branching off a river in a delta

What is a terrace?

Step-like landform formed by river downcutting

What is a flood recurrence interval?

Average time between floods of a given size

What is a hydrograph?

Graph showing stream discharge over time

What is stream piracy?

Capture of one stream’s flow by another

What is a knickpoint?

Sharp change in stream gradient, often a waterfall

What is a graded stream?

Stream in equilibrium, transporting sediment without net erosion or deposition

What is a bed load?

Sediment moved along stream bed by rolling or sliding

What is suspended load?

Fine particles carried within the water column

What is dissolved load?

Minerals carried in solution by a stream