Satoshi | River Glossary (2024)

FAQs

What are the parts of a creek called? ›

There are several parts of a creek: the water flowing in it, the creek bed, and the banks. In addition to the creek itself, there's vegetation in the water, on the banks, and on the uplands immediately beyond the top of the banks.

current - this is the movement or flow of water. delta - this is a large, silty area found at the mouth of a river. Deltas are often triangular shaped. deposition - this is where material is laid down in another location. erosion - this is the process where material is removed from one area and transported to another.

If that is the case, this section of river can be known as a "tidal freshwater river" or a "river reach." In terms of tides, tidal rivers are classified as microtidal (<2 m), mesotidal (2-4 m), and macrotidal (>4 m). Areas of brackish water seaward of the tidal river section are often called estuaries.

A streambed or stream bed is the bottom of a stream or river (bathymetry) and is confined within a channel, or the banks (bank (geography) of the waterway.

These tiny islands are often called islets. Islands in rivers are sometimes called aits or eyots.

Riparian zones, or areas, are lands that occur along the edges of rivers, streams, lakes, and other water bodies.

Off-channel area - Any relatively calm portion of a stream outside of the main flow.

Mouth. The point at which the stream discharges, possibly via an estuary or delta, into a static body of water such as a lake or ocean.

An esplanade or promenade is a long, open, level area, usually next to a river or large body of water, where people may walk.

A meander is when water flows in a curvy, bendy path, like a snake. As a river makes its way through an area that is relatively flat, it often develops bends as it erodes its way through the path of least resistance. Once a meander starts, it often becomes more and more exaggerated.

What is the bank of a river called? ›

or riverbank (ˈrɪvəˌbæŋk ) noun. the land along the edge of a river.

A river mouth, also called estuary, is a place that enters a lake, a large river, or the sea. The estuary is a place with a lot of activity. When the estuary flows, it picks up sediment from the riverbed, erodes the banks and deposits debris on the surface of the water.

In limnology (the study of inland waters), a stream bank or river bank is the terrain alongside the bed of a river, creek, or stream. The bank consists of the sides of the channel, between which the flow is confined.

A creek must include all of the following three features: (1) hydrologic connectivity, (2) presence of channel form and (3) topographic position. A creek begins at the first point at which these features are met.

Three zones are usually recognized - headwaters, where flow is usually lowest of any where along the system, slope is often steepest, and erosion is greater than sediment deposition; transfer zone, the middle range of the stream where slope usually flattens somewhat, more flow appears, and deposition and erosion are ...

Watercourses frequently meet to form larger watercourses, and sometimes two or more smaller watercourses are termed 'branches' of the larger stream. In certain parts of the country, creeks may be called 'branch', or 'creek', or 'run', or 'brook' - these are all valid English terms for small watercourses.