River Dynamics

 

Throughout its life, a river and the nearby land change. Natural forces (like wind, water, and gravity) can alter a river's channel, direction, flow rate, and vegetation. Human intervention can make similar changes, but often on a larger scale.

A young river carves, or "downcuts" aggressively into the land it flows over. It usually has a V-shaped canyon, but little or no floodplain. This river has turbulent water, rapids and waterfalls.

As the river matures, the effect of downcutting slows. Instead, the river channel grows wider as water wears away the top edges. With flooding, the river changes the position of its main channel. Winding and twisting, it defines a "meander belt" and "floodplain."

Today, the Mississippi River is in its "old age" stage. Erosion and deposition have flattened the landscape into a low relief floodplain. The floodplain is wider than the meander belt. It features more natural levees, yazoo streams (running parallel to the main channel), and oxbow lakes.

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