GEOL 101 Chapter Notes - Chapter 16: Distributary, Active Channel, Perennial Stream
Document Summary
Downstream- ow direction of a stream from high elevations to lower ones. Gradient- steepness; change in elevation for a given horizontal distance: a steeper gradient means the stream drops more over the same horizontal distance. Maximum size of sediment- as gradient decreases, this does too. Size- combination of width and depth across the channel: cross sectional area- multiplying channels width times its average depth, velocity of water ow increases downstream, volume of water also increases. Discharge- volume of water owing through any part of the river per unit of time: calculated by multiplying water velocity x cross sectional area, lowest= winter, highest= spring. Sediment load- total amount of sediment a river is carrying: increases downstream. Capacity- what amount of sediment a river is capable of carrying. Peak discharge- highest value on a plot. Perennial stream- stream that ows all year. Stream tables- water tanks in a lab.
