This page will contain additional articles about River, as they become available.RiverA river is a large natural waterway. The source of a river may be a lake, a spring, or a collection of small streams, known as headwaters. From their source, all rivers flow downhill, typically terminating in the ocean. The mouth, or lower end of a river is known as its base level. A river's water is normally confined to a channel, made up of a stream bed between banks. Most rainfall on land passes through a river on its way to the ocean. Smaller side streams that join a river are tributaries. The scientific term for any flowing natural waterway is a stream; so in technical language, the term river is just a shorthand way to refer to a large stream. TopographyA river conducts water by constantly flowing perpendicular to the elevation curve of its bed, thereby converting the positional energy of the water into kinetic energy. Where a river flows over relatively flat areas, the river will meander: start to form loops and snake through the plain by eroding the river banks. Sometimes the river will cut off a loop, shortening the channel and forming an oxbow lake from the cut off section. Rivers that carry large amounts of sediment develop conspicuous deltas at their mouths. Rivers whose mouths are in saline tidal waters may form estuaries. Over time, rivers cut away at their beds, eventually forming a more gradual gradient. There are 4 main types of rivers. These types are:
Where a river descends quickly over sloped topography, rapids with whitewater or even waterfalls occur. Rapids are often used for recreational purposes (see Whitewater kayaking). Waterfalls are sometimes used as sources of energy, via watermills and hydroelectric plants. Rivers begin at their source in higher ground, either rising from a spring, forming from glacial meltwater, flowing from a body of water such as a lake, or simply from damp, boggy places where the soil is waterlogged. They end at their base level where they flow into a larger body of water, the sea, a lake, or as a tributary to another (usually larger) river. In arid areas rivers sometimes end by losing water to evaporation and percolation into dry, porous material such as sand, soil, or pervious rock. The area drained by a river and its tributaries is called its watershed or catchment basin. (Watershed is also used however to mean a boundary between catchment basins.) Starting at the mouth of the river and following it upstream as it branches again and again the resulting river network forms a dendritic (tree-like) structure that is an example of a natural random fractal. BiologyThe flora and fauna of rivers are much different from those of the ocean because the water is fresh (non-salty). Living things in a river must be adapted to the current of the moving water. PollutionHuman pollution of rivers is common, and very few rivers in the world today are clean of man-made substances. The most common point source of pollutant is probably sewage piped into rivers, but chemical pollution is also common, and industrial accidents (and/or negligence) account for significant destruction of riparian biomes. Heated water dumped into rivers by power plants and factories also affects river life. Non-point source pollutants such as diffuse pollution from agriculture, urbanisation and forestry and now being recognised as one of the more damaging sources of pollutants in the developed world. NavigationThe Rhine is the busiest river in the world for transport ships. Inland vessels use the river to reach the major cities in Germany, Eastern France and Switzerland to transport bulk goods, liquids, containers AND passengers into the hinterland of the Port of Rotterdam and the ports of Amsterdam and Antwerp. Many millions of tons of goods are transported upstream yearly from these three sea ports to the industries near Nijmegen, Duisburg, Düsseldorf, Neuss, Köln, Koblenz, Mainz, Mannheim, Karlsruhe, Strasbourg, Colmar, Mulhouse and Basel. The lower part of the river is navigable for the largest inland vessels (up to 135 meters long and 17 meters wide) with an available depth of more than 2,50 even at the lower water levels. The further upstream, the more depth restrictions: at low water periods draught of ships is often limited to 1,90 m. for the stretch around Bingen (between the mouths of the Mosel and the Main). Upstream from Karlsruhe the Rhine is the border between France and Germany. The French have canalized the river by means of a series of hydropower dams and double ship locks, thus ensuring a year round navigable depth of 3.50 meters. (Source: NoorderSoft Waterways Database) DamsIn places where the elevation changes of a river are great, dams for hydroelectric plants and other purposes are often built. This disrupts the natural flow of the river, and creates a lake behind the dam. Often the building of dams affects the whole of the river, even the part above the dam, as migrating fish are hindered (see fish ladder), waterflow is no longer bounded by seasonal changes and sediment flow is blocked. Dams are useful in many ways, such as providing HEP, acting as regulator of river flow so as to regulate the occurrence of flooding, which is especially important to wet-rice agriculture, and also to improve navigation and transport on the river. Often, dams such as Hoover Dam along Colorado River become famous tourist attractions. Critics of dams especially 'Green' advocates, argue that dams remove upper-river biodiversity such as through deforestation and forced migration of rural villages and indigenous tribes. Furthermore, trapping of river sediments behind the dams lead to salination and loss of nutrients for down-water fish. It also raises concern of earthquakes due to instablity of incompetent dams which have to support thousands of tonnes of sediments behind them. One very famous, and problematic, dam is the Aswan High Dam in the Nile. FloodingFlooding is a natural part of a river's cycles. Human activity, however, has upset the natural way flooding occurs by walling off rivers and straightening their courses. Removal of bogs, swamps and other wetlands in order to produce farmland has reduced the absorption zones for excess water and made floods into sudden disasters rather than gradual increases in water flow. In ancient Egypt, life was made possible through the floods of the Nile and the accompanying silt and sediment which enriched the fields with fresh nutrients. Nowadays, since people have built on these floodplains, floods are disasters, causing untold property loss each year. Human interference in the form of deforestation can also worsen conditions. The removal of vegetation leads to a reduction in Interception (vegetation stopping precipitation) and the 'weakening' of soil since plant roots no longer hold it together. As a result there is a reduced Infiltration capacity (how much water the soil can hold) and greater infiltration (precipitation going into the ground). This leads to faster soil saturation and therefore greater overland flow (also known as surface run off) and therefore, there are flash floods as the lag time decrease. LogjamsLogjams are barriers within rivers, created by dead and uprooted trees. Over time, the obstruction prevents further logs to bypass, resulting in the creation of new network channels. According to author David R. Montgomery in his book, King of Fish, a logjam also causes water to buildup within a small space, forming peaceful pools within the main channel for young salmon to live within. The existence of these deep pools along with the complex web of channels creates an ideal salmon habitat. Today, many believe that the rebuilding of salmon runs is contingent upon reproducing the same environment shaped by logjams. As a result, many scientists have attempted to recreate artificial logjams. Marc Duboiski and Mike Ramsey of the Salmon Recovery Funding board staff, George Pess of the National Marine Fisheries Service, and Kevin Bauersfeld of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife have prepared the Report to the Salmon Recovery Funding Board On the Engineered Log Jam (ELJ) Workshop ([1]), with the hope of mimicking natural logjams. Small river in rural Indiana, United States. Rivers of this size are often referred to as a "creek."ManagementIn its natural state a river may be inconvenient to man in a variety of ways. Rivers in inhabited areas have therefore been managed or controlled to make them more useful and less disruptive to human activity.
River management is an ongoing activity as rivers tend to 'undo' the modifications made by man. Dredged channels silt up, sluice mechanisms deteriorate with age, levees and dams may suffer seepage or catastrophic failure. River listsThe world's ten longest riversIt is difficult to measure the length of a river, mainly because rivers have a fractal property, which means that the more precise the measure, the longer the river will seem. Also, it's hard to state exactly where a river begins or ends, as very often, upstream, rivers are formed by seasonal streams, swamps, or changing lakes. This is an average measurement.
For a longer list see Longest rivers. This also gives more information on measuring river lengths. Well-known rivers (in alphabetic order)
Other lists
Rivers in myth and fictionReal rivers
Mythological rivers
Fictional rivers
This page about River includes information from a Wikipedia article. Additional articles about River News stories about River External links for River Videos for River Wikis about River Discussion Groups about River Blogs about River Images of River |
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This also gives more information on measuring river lengths. Many famous people have "Scott" as a first, middle, or last name:. For a longer list see Longest rivers. "Scott" is also part of the name of:. This is an average measurement. Elsewhere in the world is:. Also, it's hard to state exactly where a river begins or ends, as very often, upstream, rivers are formed by seasonal streams, swamps, or changing lakes. Scott is the name of several places in the United States of America:. It is difficult to measure the length of a river, mainly because rivers have a fractal property, which means that the more precise the measure, the longer the river will seem. Scott is the name of the debut album by Scott. Dredged channels silt up, sluice mechanisms deteriorate with age, levees and dams may suffer seepage or catastrophic failure. The Scott Paper Company is a brand of paper towels and toilet paper owned by the Kimberly-Clark Corporation. River management is an ongoing activity as rivers tend to 'undo' the modifications made by man. The Scott Monument, to Sir Walter Scott, in Edinburgh. Rivers in inhabited areas have therefore been managed or controlled to make them more useful and less disruptive to human activity. The Scott Tournament of Hearts women's curling Canadian championships. In its natural state a river may be inconvenient to man in a variety of ways. The Scott Motorcycle Company. Marc Duboiski and Mike Ramsey of the Salmon Recovery Funding board staff, George Pess of the National Marine Fisheries Service, and Kevin Bauersfeld of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife have prepared the Report to the Salmon Recovery Funding Board On the Engineered Log Jam (ELJ) Workshop ([1]), with the hope of mimicking natural logjams. Navy. As a result, many scientists have attempted to recreate artificial logjams. USS Scott, a Kidd class destroyer, formerly in the U.S. Today, many believe that the rebuilding of salmon runs is contingent upon reproducing the same environment shaped by logjams. Scott Peterson, convicted murderer. The existence of these deep pools along with the complex web of channels creates an ideal salmon habitat. Winfield Scott Hancock, general and candidate for the presidency of the United States. Montgomery in his book, King of Fish, a logjam also causes water to buildup within a small space, forming peaceful pools within the main channel for young salmon to live within. Winfield Scott, general and candidate for the presidency of the United States. According to author David R. Various Tom Scotts. Over time, the obstruction prevents further logs to bypass, resulting in the creation of new network channels. Thomas Walter Scott, the first premier of Saskatchewan. Logjams are barriers within rivers, created by dead and uprooted trees. Thomas Scott (politician), US congressman. This leads to faster soil saturation and therefore greater overland flow (also known as surface run off) and therefore, there are flash floods as the lag time decrease. Thomas Scott, bigoted Orangeman, eventually executed in the Red River Rebellion led by Louis Riel. As a result there is a reduced Infiltration capacity (how much water the soil can hold) and greater infiltration (precipitation going into the ground). Sir Walter Scott, 1st Lord Scott of Buccleuch. The removal of vegetation leads to a reduction in Interception (vegetation stopping precipitation) and the 'weakening' of soil since plant roots no longer hold it together. Sir Walter Scott, author. Human interference in the form of deforestation can also worsen conditions. Scott Joplin, composer. Nowadays, since people have built on these floodplains, floods are disasters, causing untold property loss each year. Robert Falcon Scott, Antarctic explorer and British naval officer. In ancient Egypt, life was made possible through the floods of the Nile and the accompanying silt and sediment which enriched the fields with fresh nutrients. Ridley Scott, an English director. Removal of bogs, swamps and other wetlands in order to produce farmland has reduced the absorption zones for excess water and made floods into sudden disasters rather than gradual increases in water flow. Randolph Scott, actor. Human activity, however, has upset the natural way flooding occurs by walling off rivers and straightening their courses. Montgomery Scott (Scotty), a fictional character in Star Trek. Flooding is a natural part of a river's cycles. Lisa Scott, a news reporter for WIVB-TV (a CBS affiliate in Buffalo in the 1990s and the 2000s. One very famous, and problematic, dam is the Aswan High Dam in the Nile. Scott McBain, a British author. It also raises concern of earthquakes due to instablity of incompetent dams which have to support thousands of tonnes of sediments behind them. Jack Scott, American rock 'n' roll singer. Furthermore, trapping of river sediments behind the dams lead to salination and loss of nutrients for down-water fish. George Gilbert Scott (1811 - 1878), an English architect. Critics of dams especially 'Green' advocates, argue that dams remove upper-river biodiversity such as through deforestation and forced migration of rural villages and indigenous tribes. Scott, actor. Often, dams such as Hoover Dam along Colorado River become famous tourist attractions. George C. Dams are useful in many ways, such as providing HEP, acting as regulator of river flow so as to regulate the occurrence of flooding, which is especially important to wet-rice agriculture, and also to improve navigation and transport on the river. Scott Fitzgerald, author, cousin of Francis Scott Key and named for him. Often the building of dams affects the whole of the river, even the part above the dam, as migrating fish are hindered (see fish ladder), waterflow is no longer bounded by seasonal changes and sediment flow is blocked. F. This disrupts the natural flow of the river, and creates a lake behind the dam. national anthem. In places where the elevation changes of a river are great, dams for hydroelectric plants and other purposes are often built. S. (Source: NoorderSoft Waterways Database). Francis Scott Key, poet and lawyer, author of the poem that became the U. The French have canalized the river by means of a series of hydropower dams and double ship locks, thus ensuring a year round navigable depth of 3.50 meters. Dred Scott, slave whose case before the United States Supreme Court was one of the most famous in the 19th century. Upstream from Karlsruhe the Rhine is the border between France and Germany. Davis Scott, an American astronomer. for the stretch around Bingen (between the mouths of the Mosel and the Main). David Scott, an American astronaut. The further upstream, the more depth restrictions: at low water periods draught of ships is often limited to 1,90 m. Charles Scott Kentucky Governor. The lower part of the river is navigable for the largest inland vessels (up to 135 meters long and 17 meters wide) with an available depth of more than 2,50 even at the lower water levels. Scott), British journalist. Many millions of tons of goods are transported upstream yearly from these three sea ports to the industries near Nijmegen, Duisburg, Düsseldorf, Neuss, Köln, Koblenz, Mainz, Mannheim, Karlsruhe, Strasbourg, Colmar, Mulhouse and Basel. Charles Prestwich Scott (C.P. Inland vessels use the river to reach the major cities in Germany, Eastern France and Switzerland to transport bulk goods, liquids, containers AND passengers into the hinterland of the Port of Rotterdam and the ports of Amsterdam and Antwerp. Camilla Scott, a former talk show host for Camilla Scott for CTV between 1996 and 1997. The Rhine is the busiest river in the world for transport ships. Ben Scott Folds, singer and songwriter. Non-point source pollutants such as diffuse pollution from agriculture, urbanisation and forestry and now being recognised as one of the more damaging sources of pollutants in the developed world. Scott, an American professional photographer. Heated water dumped into rivers by power plants and factories also affects river life. Arthur E. The most common point source of pollutant is probably sewage piped into rivers, but chemical pollution is also common, and industrial accidents (and/or negligence) account for significant destruction of riparian biomes. Alfred Angas Scott, founder of The Scott Motorcycle Company. Human pollution of rivers is common, and very few rivers in the world today are clean of man-made substances. Scott Barney, NHL ice hockey player. Living things in a river must be adapted to the current of the moving water. Scott Podsednik MLB player for the Chicago White Sox. The flora and fauna of rivers are much different from those of the ocean because the water is fresh (non-salty). Scott Lake, Florida. Starting at the mouth of the river and following it upstream as it branches again and again the resulting river network forms a dendritic (tree-like) structure that is an example of a natural random fractal. Scott AFB, Illinois. (Watershed is also used however to mean a boundary between catchment basins.). Great Scott Township, Minnesota. The area drained by a river and its tributaries is called its watershed or catchment basin. Fort Scott, Kansas. In arid areas rivers sometimes end by losing water to evaporation and percolation into dry, porous material such as sand, soil, or pervious rock. Scott Island near Antarctica. They end at their base level where they flow into a larger body of water, the sea, a lake, or as a tributary to another (usually larger) river. Scott Township, Pennsylvania (several places). Rivers begin at their source in higher ground, either rising from a spring, forming from glacial meltwater, flowing from a body of water such as a lake, or simply from damp, boggy places where the soil is waterlogged. Scott Township, Minnesota. Waterfalls are sometimes used as sources of energy, via watermills and hydroelectric plants. various counties named Scott County. Rapids are often used for recreational purposes (see Whitewater kayaking). Scott City, Missouri. Where a river descends quickly over sloped topography, rapids with whitewater or even waterfalls occur. Scott City, Kansas. These types are:. Scott, Ohio. There are 4 main types of rivers. Scott, Wisconsin (several places). Over time, rivers cut away at their beds, eventually forming a more gradual gradient. Scott, New York. Rivers whose mouths are in saline tidal waters may form estuaries. Scott, Louisiana. Rivers that carry large amounts of sediment develop conspicuous deltas at their mouths. Scott, Arkansas. Sometimes the river will cut off a loop, shortening the channel and forming an oxbow lake from the cut off section. Where a river flows over relatively flat areas, the river will meander: start to form loops and snake through the plain by eroding the river banks. A river conducts water by constantly flowing perpendicular to the elevation curve of its bed, thereby converting the positional energy of the water into kinetic energy. . The scientific term for any flowing natural waterway is a stream; so in technical language, the term river is just a shorthand way to refer to a large stream. Smaller side streams that join a river are tributaries. Most rainfall on land passes through a river on its way to the ocean. A river's water is normally confined to a channel, made up of a stream bed between banks. The mouth, or lower end of a river is known as its base level. From their source, all rivers flow downhill, typically terminating in the ocean. The source of a river may be a lake, a spring, or a collection of small streams, known as headwaters. A river is a large natural waterway. Tolkien. R. R. Rivers of Middle-earth in various works of J. The River in the Riverworld novels of Philip José Farmer. River Djel in the country of Djelibeybi in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. Chocolate river in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. River Ankh traversing the city of Ankh-Morpork in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. The Sambation river stops flowing every Saturday. The Alph, an underground river imagined by various mystics and mentioned in Coleridge's poem Kubla Khan. In Greek mythology, the Acheron, Cocytus, Phlegethon, Lethe and Styx (the five rivers of Hades); and the Eridanus. The River Liffey through Dublin in James Joyce's Finnegans Wake. The Mississippi in Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn. The Thames and the Congo in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. Jerome's Three Men in a Boat. The Thames in Jerome K. The Thames in Edward Rutherfurd's London. List of river name etymologies. List of rivers of Oceania. List of rivers of the Americas. List of rivers of New Zealand. List of rivers of Australia. List of rivers of Antarctica. List of rivers of Africa. List of rivers of Asia. Rivers of the United Kingdom. List of rivers of Europe
List of waterways. Zambezi - principal river of southeastern Africa. Yukon - principal river of Alaska and Yukon Territory. Yenisei - large river of Siberia. Yangtze (Chang Jiang) - longest river in China. Volga - principal river of Russia. Vltava - river of Prague. Vistula - principal river of Poland. Tonegawa - largest river in Japan. Tigris - twin principal river of Mesopotamia(Iraq). Tiber - river of Rome. Thames - river of London. Tay - largest river in Scotland. Tajo - largest river in the Iberian Peninsula. Snake - largest tributary to the Columbia river in Washington. Shinano-gawa - longest river in Japan. Severn- longest river in Great Britain. Segura- in southeast Spain. Seine - river of Paris. Saint Lawrence - drains Great Lakes. Rio Grande - border between United States and Mexico. Rhône - principal river of southern France. Rhine - principal river of northwestern Europe. Potomac River - principal river of the District of Columbia in the United States. Po - principal river of Italy. Paraguay - principal tributary of Parana river and major South American river in Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina. Parana - major South American river. Orinoco - principal river of Venezuela. Ohio - largest river between Mississippi and Appalachians. Odra - major river in Eastern Europe. Ob - large river of Siberia. Nile - Possibly the longest river in the world (or second after the Amazon). Niger - principal river of west Africa. Murray - principal river of southeastern Australia. Missouri - principal river of the Great Plains. Mississippi - principal river of central United States. Meuse - principal river of the southern provinces of the Netherlands and eastern Belgium. Mersey - river on which sits the English city of Liverpool. Mekong - principal river of Southeast Asia. Main - river in Germany. Magdalena - principal river of Colombia. Mackenzie - longest river in Canada. Lena - principal river of northeastern Siberia. Kaveri - principal river of South India. Karun - principal (navigable) river of southern Iran. Jordan - principal river of Israel. Indus - principal river of Pakistan. Hudson - principal river of New York. Huang He (Yellow) - principal river of China. Hari Rud (Afghanistan). Helmand River - Principle river of (Afghanistan). Han-gang - river of Seoul. Ganges - principal river of India. Euphrates - twin principal river of Mesopotamia(Iraq). Elbe - major German river, Hamburg is situated on it. Ebro - river in northwest Spain. South America. De La Plata - the widest river in the world. Danube - principal river of central and southeastern Europe. Congo - principal river of central Africa. Columbia - principal river of Pacific Northwest. Colorado (U.S.) - principal river of American West. Colorado (Argentina). Chao Phraya - principal river of Thailand. Brahmaputra - principal river in North East India & Tibet. Arvandrud (Shatt al-Arab) the large border river between Iran and Iraq. Arno - river through Florence. Arkansas - major tributary of Mississippi River. Amur - principal river of eastern Siberia and boarder river Russia/China. Amu Darya. American. Amazon - largest river in the world. Mackenzie (4,240 km). Lena (4,260 km). (The source of this river is disputed.). Congo (4,380 km or 4,670 km). Amur (4,410 km). Huang He (Yellow) (5,464 km). Ob-Irtysh (5,570 km). Mississippi-Missouri (6,270 km). Yangtze (Chang Jiang) (6,380 km). Amazon (6,452km). Nile (6,690 km). River courses may be modified to improve navigation, or straightened to increase the flow rate. Canals connect rivers to one another for water transfer or navigation. floodways may be added to draw off excess river water in times of flood. Sluice gates provide a means of controlling flow and adjusting river levels. Levees may be built to prevent flooding. Dams (see above) or weirs may be built to control the flow, store water, or extract energy. The river channel may be dredged to make it deeper for navigation or to prevent flooding. Rejuvenated river - a river with a gradient that is raised by the earth's movement. Old rivers are characterized by flood plains. Old river - a river with a low gradient and low erosive energy. Its channels erode wider rather than deeper. A mature river is fed by many tributaries and has more discharge than a youthful river. Mature river - a river with a gradient that is less steep than those of youthful rivers and flows more slowly than youthful rivers. Its channels erode deeper rather than wider. Youthful river - a river with a steep gradient that has very few tributaries and flows quickly. |