Essential features of rivers

Abstract

Rivers drain parts of the earth’s crust and in many cases are old features of the land. Geological and geomorphological events have shaped their courses and their present state can only be understood by their past. Similarly their characteristics are in close and mutual interdependence with the land they traverse. Climatic conditions govern their water supply via tributaries from long distances. The water mass in rivers is in motion, unidirectional and sometimes of great force. Their outstanding function is the transport of water; with changes of discharge and velocity of water movement they erode the land and carry sediment and often bedload for, sometimes, long distances. These sediments and bedloads are then deposited in downstream areas or are flown into the sea.