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In geography and geology, fluvial sediment processes or fluvial sediment transport are associated with rivers and streams and the deposits and landforms created by sediments. It can result in the formation of ripples and dunes , in fractal -shaped patterns of erosion, in complex patterns of natural river systems, and in the development of ...
Fluvial terraces can be used to measure the rate at which either a stream or river is downcutting its valley. Using various dating methods, an age can be determined for the deposition of the terrace. Using the resulting date and the elevation above its current level, an approximate average rate of downcutting can be determined.
In many agricultural areas, rivers have been straightened and dyked for flood control and to plant crops in the floodplain. [7] Normally, floods are allowed to spread out across the floodplain, allowing deposition of sediment and slowing water speeds, reducing the erosive potential of the water. [ 8 ]
Fluvial geomorphology is the study of how rivers change their form over time. Fluvial geomorphology is the cumulation of a number of sciences including open channel hydraulics, sediment transport, hydrology, physical geology, and riparian ecology. River engineering practitioners attempt to understand fluvial geomorphology, implement a physical ...
The amount of water in a stream is measured as discharge (volume per unit time). As water flows downstream, streams and rivers most often gain water volume, so at base flow (i.e., no storm input), smaller headwater streams have very low discharge, while larger rivers have much higher discharge. The "flow regime" of a river or stream includes ...
Fluvial seismology is the application of seismological methods to understand river processes, such as discharge, erosion, and streambed evolution. Flowing water and the movement of sediments along the streambed generate elastic (seismic) waves that propagate into the surrounding Earth materials.
Drinking water treatment plants are also at risk. Most U.S. cities and towns get drinking water from rivers and lakes, and water treatment plants tend to be near the water bodies from which they draw.
[7] [8] Floods, or flood stage, occur when a stream overflows its banks. In undisturbed natural areas, flood water would be able to spread out within a floodplain and vegetation of either grassland or forest, would slow and absorb peak flows. In such areas, streambeds should remain more stable and exhibit minimal scour.