Work of Running Water

Erosion
Transportation
Transported material is called the stream’s load
Dissolved load
Suspended load
Bed load

Transportation
Load is related to a stream’s
Competence – maximum particle size
Capacity – maximum load
Capacity is related to discharge

Transportation
Deposition
Caused by a decrease in velocity
Competence is reduced
Sediment begins to drop out
Stream sediments
Known as alluvium
Well-sorted deposits

Transportation
Features produced by deposition
Deltas – exist in ocean or lakes
Natural levees – form parallel to the stream channel
Area behind the levees may contain back swamps or yazoo tributaries