Rivers and Streams

What is the continental divide?What is the continental divide?

North Carolina RiversNorth Carolina Rivers

17 river basins, 4 entirely in NC

HeadwatersHeadwaters

Headwaters- the place where a river begins

The Cape Fear river begins south of Greensboro, where the Haw and Deep rivers meet.

Stream ErosionStream ErosionLoad- the sediment carried by a stream, Suspended load can make water appear

muddy or dirty.

Stream DepositionStream Deposition

Deltas & Alluvial Fans- Formed from stream deposition and can create new land. Are formed when the speed of the stream slows, near the mouth of the stream

Deltas are in the water and alluvial fans are on land

Canyon FormationCanyon Formation

When the land around a stream uplifts and the stream continues to cut into the original stream bed canyons can form.

FloodsFloods

Discharge- volume of water flowing through a stream at any given time Snow and rainfall can cause increased

discharge

Floodplain- an area along a river created from sediments deposited when the river overflowed its banks The new sediment is usually good for farming

FloodplainFloodplain

Changing Stream FlowChanging Stream Flow

Dams- barriers that redirect water flow; water can be stored for drinking, or used for electricity

Channel Alteration: Dredging- digging the channel of a river deeper Levees- barriers made from soil; can cause

water to run faster downstream and can break or be over topped

Dam

Levee

Hoover DamHoover Dam