River, stream, brook, stream, lake etc., these are some of the names for water courses .
In summary, the river is a stream of natural water that flows into the sea , a lake or even another river. Meanwhile, brook, stream or stream designate shallower, narrower rivers, with less extension or volume of water.
Of great relevance to the geographic space, the water in the rivers enables the food irrigation system, the water supply for people, the generation of electric energy , among others.
In addition, fishing activities are possible in them, being a relevant source of food for families, and economic activity in some cases.
Parts of a river
There are some important concepts that designate the parts of the river . Check out:
Source or headland: Place where the river is born. Some call it the source, mine, spout, spring or even water eye.
Bed: Space that the river flows through.
Flow: Amount of water that flows through a given section of the river.
Margin: Lands or rocks where they meet the water.
Mouth or mouth: It is the space where a stream of water flows. In this way, a river can have as its mouth another river, a sea, an ocean or even a lagoon.
Confluence: Term that designates the junction of two or more rivers.
Affluent: Watercourse that flows into a main river or a lake, being the food of the main river.
Sub-affluent: The river that flows into the affluent river.
Meander: The curve of the watercourse.
Downstream: The direction of the current in the watercourse, from the source towards the mouth.
Amount: The opposite direction in which the river flows, towards the source.
Hydrography concepts
In addition to the concepts on the part of the river, it is important to understand three definitions regarding hydrography in order to better understand the water courses.
- Plateau rivers:Mostly flowing and with waterfalls, they run in the highlands. They are also used for the generation of electric energy or for tourism.
- Plain rivers: They run in flat areas and are excellent waters for navigation.
- Hydrographic basin:Synthesizes all the elements of a river, as well as the land drained by the watercourse.
