Week 5 Pt 2 GEL 001

Front

Runoff drains catchments.

Back

Runoff is the process by which water drains from catchments, which are areas of land that collect water to supply a river.

Front

Catchment

Back

An area of land that collects water to supply a river.

Front

Each tributary has its own catchment.

Back

Every tributary, or smaller river or stream that feeds into a larger one, has its own specific area of land that collects water.

Front

Map of the Mississippi River Catchment

Back

The diagram illustrates the Mississippi River Catchment, highlighting the network of rivers and tributaries that drain into the Mississippi River.

Front

Runoff correlates with precipitation.

Back

High precipitation areas correspond to high runoff areas.

Front

Areas of high precipitation correspond to areas of high runoff.

Back

Runoff correlates with precipitation.

Front

Material movement in a stream

Back

Material in a stream moves as dissolved load, suspended load, and bed load. Dissolved load consists of sediment carried in solution, such as ions from chemical weathering. Suspended load includes finer particles carried by the current. Bed load involves material sliding and rolling along the bottom, with particles moving by saltation, jumping along the bed.

Front

Graph showing the relationship between sediment particle diameter and sediment settling velocity.

Back

Stokes Law: The larger a particle, the more energy you need to move it.

Front

At the highest velocities, currents erode both large and small particles from the streambed.

Back

Erosion occurs at high velocities.

Front

At intermediate velocities, particles may erode or settle depending on their grain size and cohesiveness.

Back

Intermediate velocities affect particle behavior.