6.2 The Work Of Streams

Bed Load

• Sediment that carried by a stream along the bottom of its channel.

Capacity

• The total amount of sediment a stream is able to transport.

Alluvium

• Alluvium is the sorted material deposited by as stream.

Delta

• Delta is an accumulation of sediments formed where a stream enters a lake or ocean.

Natural Levee

• Natural Levee is a landform that parallels some streams.

Floodplain

• The flat, low-lying portion of a stream valley subject to periodic flooding.

Flood

• Occurs when the discharge of a stream becomes so great that it exceeds the carrying capacity of its channel and overflows its bank.

Drainage basin

• The land area that contributes water to a stream.

Divide

• An imaginary line that separates the drainage of two streams often found along ridges.

Key Concepts

• How do streams erode their channels?• What causes floods?• What is the relationship between stream and

a drainage basin?• How do streams transport sediments?

How Does streams erode their channels?

• Streams generally erode their channels lifting loose particles by abrasion grinding, and dissolving soluble material.

What causes floods?

• Most floods are caused by rapid spring snow melt or storms that bring heavy rains over a large region.

What is the relationship between stream and a drainage basin?

• Every stream has a drainage basin, A drainage basin is the land area that contributes water to a stream.

How do streams transport sediments?

• Streams transport sediment in three ways• In solution• In suspension• Scooting or rolling along the bottom