Geography 101

Fluvial Systems
The Stream System
• Fluvial Processes : Processes associated with the work of streams.
The Drainage
Basin
• Main stream
• Tributary Streams
• Interfluve
• Drainage divide
• Perennial and
intermittent streams

• Mouth
Drainage Patterns

Dendritic
Parallel Centripetal

Trellis
Radial
Rectangular
 Deranged

Channel and Flow Characteristics

Sources of Stream
Flow
• Groundwater
• Interflow
• Direct channel
precipitation

• Overland flow

Cross Sectional Area (A)

A = WIDTH X DEPTH

Stream Velocity (V)

Stream Discharge (Q)
• Volume of water passing through a given cross section per unit time.

Q=AXV

A hydrograph depicts changes in stream

discharge over time.

Discharge is greatly affected by

environmental characteristics of the drainage

basin like:

• Land use
• Soil
• Vegetation
• Basin Shape

Stream Gradient
Stream gradient = difference in
elevation between two locations on
a stream divided by the distance
between them measured along the
stream

In the diagram to the right, the

difference in elevation from the top
to the bottom is 500 ft. The
distance between is 15 mi. The
gradient is equal to
33.3 ft/ mi

Channel types
• straight
• meandering
• braided