Rivers
A sediment carried by a stream that bounces or rolls along the bottom
Bed Load
The top of the zone where the ground is completely saturated with water
Water Table
Sediment carried within the water of a stream
Suspended Load
Flowing water that moves in irregular, swirling patterns
Turbulence
A stream deposit formed where a river enters a lake or ocean
Delta
A curved bend in a river or stream
Meander
A stream that splits into many smaller channels that weave around sediment bars
Braided Stream
A boundary that separates one drainage basin from another
Divide
A lake formed when a river meander is cut off from the main stream
Oxbow Lake
The entire area drained by a river and its tributaries
Drainage Basin
The percentage of open space within soil or rock
Porosity
The ability of rock or soil to allow water to pass through it
Permeability
A stream that flows into a larger stream or river
Tributary
Groundwater that naturally flows out onto the Earth's surface
Spring
The process by which water soaks into the ground
Infiltration
Water that flows over the land surface instead of soaking into the ground
Runoff
Water flowing smoothly in parallel layers
Laminar
A cave formation that hangs from the ceiling
Stalagtite
The process where plants release water vapor into the air
Transpiration
A flat area next to a river that often floods
Flood Plain
The process where water is added back into groundwater supplies
Recharge
A cone-shaped deposit of sediment formed where a stream leaves a steep area
Alluvial Fan
An underground layer of rock or sediment that holds and moves groundwater
Aquifer
A cave formation that grows upward from the cave floor
Stalagmite
Water stored beneath the Earth's surface in soil or rock
Groundwater