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Many communities around the globe are nestled in the lush
green valleys and fertile floodplains that surround the rushing
waters of streams and rivers. These water systems are vital in
moving rainwater from land to sea, but are far more important
as geological agents, transporting and depositing sediments as
they flow. In fact, it is estimated that each year, streams and
rivers move about 1.5 billion tonnes of sediment from land to
the Earth's oceans. By shifting such great masses of earth, streams
become sculptors of the land, shaping and moulding some spectacular
Canadian scenery.
We will focus on three common formations that owe their existence
to the geological action of streams and rivers: MEANDERS,
FLOODPLAINS and NATURAL LEVEES
, and DELTAS. |
