This document provides definitions and descriptions of key terms related to rivers and river systems. It defines terms like headwaters, tributaries, meanders, floodplains, rapids, deltas, loads, watersheds, and more. It explains things like how headwaters are the source of the river, tributaries flow into larger streams, meanders follow winding paths on level land, floodplains are areas subject to seasonal flooding, and deltas form where rivers enter larger bodies of water.

1. RiveR TeRms

2. Index (click to jump to the term)
• Headwaters Floodplain
• Tributary Rapids
• Meander Flatwater
• Braided Ox-bow
• Weathering and Ox-bow lake
Erosion Sediment
• Deposition Confluence
• Delta Mature River
• Load Youthful river
• Watershed

3. Headwaters
• n : the source of a river; “the little
tributaries that are the start of the river”

4. Tributary
• n. A stream that flows into a larger stream or
other body of water

5. Meander
• v: To follow a winding
and turning course
• (not just any turn in a
river, but one on level
land)

6. Weathering & Erosion
• Breakup of earth
materials by physical
and/or chemical
means
• Movement of said
materials

7. Deposition
• n 1: the natural
process of laying
down a deposit of
something
• What would a river
deposit?
• Where?
• Why?

8. Ox-bow
• n. A u-shaped bend in a river.

9. Oxbow lake

10. Delta
n 1: a low
triangular area
where a river
divides before
entering a
larger body of
water
•What about the
word delta?

11. Load
• n. whatever
the river is
carrying in it
• Such as???

12. Watershed: n. The whole region of land which
contributes to the supply of a river or lake.

14. Floodplain
• n. A plain
bordering
a river and
subject to
seasonal
flooding.

15. Rapids
• n. A fast
moving part of
a river

16. Flatwater

17. Gorge
• –n 1. a narrow cleft with steep, rocky
walls, especially one through which a
stream runs

18. Sediment
• The muck carried
by the river that
has settled to the
bottom

19. Reservoir
• a natural or artificial lake for collecting and
storing water

20. Confluence
• Place where
streams or
rivers come
together

21. Mature River
• A geology term. A mature section of a
river is one that has certain characteristics
(NOT AGE!)

22. Youthful river
• A geology term. A youthful section of a river is
one that has certain characteristics

23. Use your river vocabulary
Out behind the school…
knowledge here!