What factor influence how fast a river flows?
Terms in this set (20)
- A small obstacle creates a slight bend in the river.
- As water erodes the outer edge of a meander, the bend becomes bigger. Deposition occurs along the inner edge.
- Gradually, the meander becomes more curved. The river breaks through and takes a new course.
- An oxbow lake remains.
What is the fastest flowing river in the US?
What is the largest river in the world?
- Nile: 4,132 miles.
- Amazon: 4,000 miles.
- Yangtze: 3,915 miles.
How fast do you float down a river?
On average, an intermediate paddler travels at a rate of 3 mph. Therefore, if we round up to account for brief stops, a typical paddler should be able to travel roughly 20 miles in 7 hours. In theory, you could launch a boat at 9 a.m. and return to shore around four in the evening.
Where does the water in a river flow fastest?
Velocity is faster at the outside bend of a meander because that is where the channel is deepest and there is the least friction. By contrast, the inside bend of a meander is shallow and exposes water to more friction, slowing it down. As a general rule, a river's current flows fastest where the channel is deepest and there are the fewest ...
What is the flow rate of a river?
The flow rate in a river, stream or pipe can be determined by multiplying water velocity by the cross-sectional area. For example, if water was flowing through a 1 foot diameter pipe (area = 0.8 ft2) at 5 feet per second, the flow rate would be 0.8 ft2 x 5 ft/sec = 4 ft3/sec.
How can you tell how fast a river is flowing?
The most common method used by the USGS for measuring velocity is with a current meter. However, a variety of advanced equipment can also be used to sense stage and measure streamflow. In the simplest method, a current meter turns with the flow of the river or stream.
How fast does a stream flow?
The speed at which a stream flows is called the stream velocity. A fast river moves at a rate of about 5 miles per hour. The water moves most rapidly in the middle of the channel, where the water is deepest and friction is minimal.
How fast is water speed?
The world unlimited Water Speed Record is the officially recognised fastest speed achieved by a water-borne vehicle, irrespective of propulsion method. The current unlimited record is 511.11 km/h (317.59 mph), achieved by Australian Ken Warby in the Spirit of Australia in 1978.
What is the fastest flowing river in the world?
Which Are The Fastest Rivers In The World?RankRiverAverage discharge (m3/s)1Amazon2,09,0002Congo41,2003Ganges – Brahmaputra – Meghna38,1294Orinoco37,0006 more rows•Jun 22, 2018
Where is a river fastest?
1. Toward the middle of a river, water tends to flow fastest; toward the margins of the river it tends to flow slowest. 2. In a meandering river, water will tend to flow fastest along the outside bend of a meander, and slowest on the inside bend.
Which river is the fastest in the world?
The World's Fastest Rivers. The Amazon River near Iquitos, Peru. In hydrology, discharge refers to the rate of fluid flowing in a given unit of time. It is also known as volume velocity or volume flow rate. River discharge is measured in cubic feet per second or meters cubic per second.
Why are rivers important?
Significance Of Rivers. Rivers plays a vital role in the water cycle and serve as a channel to drain the water on the surface of the earth. Rivers also transport water nutrients to different parts of the world. It is thought that rivers in general drain approximately 75% of the surface of the earth. Rivers are also a habitat for different species ...
What is drainage basin?
The drainage basin may include runoff water on the surface, and even snowmelt, including streams in the surrounding area that drain into a shared outlet. It also includes groundwater which is underneath the surface of the earth. The fastest moving rivers or rivers with the highest discharge include the following:
What is river discharge?
River discharge is measured in cubic feet per second or meters cubic per second. A drainage basin refers to the region where precipitation accumulates and finally drains off into a collective outlet like a river. The drainage basin may include runoff water on the surface, and even snowmelt, including streams in the surrounding area ...
How deep is the Congo River?
The Congo River is also the world's deepest river with a depth reaching 720 feet deep at its deepest point. The river covers a distance of 2,920 miles long making it the world’s 9th longest river, and it is the only river that crosses the equator twice. The Congo basin covers an area of 1,500,000 square miles which is approximately about 13% ...
What are rivers used for?
Rivers also can serve as travel routes and may be used for recreation, commerce, and exploration. Water in the rivers is a significant resource and can provide a soured of hydropower among other economic activities.
Where does the Brahmaputra River flow?
Brahmaputra River flows through China, India, and Bangladesh uncovers. It originates in the part of the Himalayas in Tibet and into Pradesh in India and finally to Bangladesh and drains into the Bay of Bengal. Meghna River is wholly in Bangladesh and forms the largest delta in the world fanning out into the Bay of Bengal.

The Amazon River
Congo River
- The Congo River is Africa’s second longest river and the world’s second-largest by discharge volume. The Congo River is also the world's deepest river with a depth reaching 720 feet deep at its deepest point. The river covers a distance of 2,920 miles long making it the world’s 9th longest river,and it is the only river that crosses the equator twice. The Congo basin covers an area of 1,…
Ganges – Brahmaputra – Meghna
- The Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna rivers are located in Eurasia and have a combined length of 3,371 miles. The Ganges River flows through Bangladesh and India covering a distance of 1,569 miles. The river originates in the Himalayas, and the farthest point is thought to be in the state of Uttarakhand in India, where it flows to the south-east passing through the Ganges plain…
Significance of Rivers
- Rivers plays a vital role in the water cycle and serve as a channel to drain the water on the surface of the earth. Rivers also transport water nutrients to different parts of the world. It is thought that rivers in general drain approximately 75% of the surface of the earth. Rivers are also a habitat for different species and are therefore a source of food for different organisms. Rivers also can ser…