the start of the river
source
a steep drop over a large piece of rock which causes river water to fall suddenly
waterfall
a small stream that joins into a main river
tributary
a point where tributary flows into a river and becomes a part of it
confluence
a bend in a river
meander
a type of lake formed when a meander is cut off from the rest of the river
oxbow lake
a flat area of land next to a river that gets covered in water when the river floods
floodplain
an area near the end of a river where freshwater mixes with seawater
estuary
an area of wetland made up of sediment, transported to the end of the river
delta
the end of a river
mouth
three stages of a river
upper course, middle course, lower course
