Channel Changes from Head to Mouth

Running Water

Factors that determine velocity
Gradient or slope
Channel characteristics
Shape
Size
Roughness
Discharge – volume of water flowing in the stream (generally expresses as cubic feet per second)

Upstream-downstream changes
Profile
Cross-sectional view of a stream
From head (source) to mouth
Profile is a smooth curve
Gradient decreases from the head to the mouth
Factors that increase downstream
Velocity
Discharge

Upstream-downstream changes
Profile
Factors that increase downstream
Channel size
Factors that decrease downstream
Gradient or slope
Channel roughness