DEVELOPMENT OF RIVER AND STREAM

STSGES OF RIVER AND STREAM DEVELOPMENT

1. YOUTH STAGE

2. MATURITY STAGE

3. OLD AGE STAGE

YOUTH STAGE

 The earliest stages in the development of a landscape.

 Usually occurs in mountains regions
 Erosion is the dominant process that takes place
 It has a narrow floor and steep sides (V-shape)
YOUTH RIVER - FEATURES
 Rivers in this stage usually have a sleep gradient.
 Rapids & waterfalls are common in a youth river
 Stream are turbulent with irregular paths
 Stream is often obstructed by large boulders and rocks.
 Potholes and Canyons can also form in youth rivers
MATURE STAGE
 Definite drainage pattern is evident in the watershed that is drained by the river
 Vertical erosion continues, but it started to see lateral erosion (side to side) erosion as well
 Velocity of the water is much slower and deposition begins to occur.
MATURE RIVER - FEATURES
 Flood Plain: when the river begins to meander across a river valley. This is the total area that will/could be
flooded when the river tops it's banks.
 Meanders
OLD AGE STAGE
 Continuation of the mature stage
 It's have very wide floodplain, and extensive meanders
 Natural levees are prominent
 River delta is developed
OLD AGE RIVER - FEATURES
 Oxbow lake

 Braided River Channel

 River Delta

3 Main types of Delta

* Arcuate delta

Ex. Nile River

* Bird's Foot delta

Ex. Mississippi River

* Eztruarine delta
 Ex. Fraser River

Nile River. Mississippi River. Fraser River