For the Instructor
These student materials complement the Water Science and Society Instructor Materials. If you would like your students to have access to the student materials, we suggest you either point them at the Student Version which omits the framing pages with information designed for faculty (and this box). Or you can download these pages in several formats that you can include in your course website or local Learning Managment System. Learn more about using, modifying, and sharing InTeGrate teaching materials.Geomorphological
Geomorphological Definition
A stream channel is an area of rapid conveyance of sediment and dissolved constituents during periods of flow. However, not all sediment can be transported during all flows, and this provides a mechanism and particular pattern of sediment sorting that is a hallmark of stream channels not found in terrestrial systems.
Figures 16 and 17. Example of sediment sorting in a river channel (the sand deposit and gravel bar) contrasted to unsorted sediment on the hillslope.
Photo credits: Top Panel: Image used with permission via Creative Commons: "I, Paebi CC-BY-SA-2.5-2.0-1.0], via Wikimdeia Commons". Bottom Panel: Brian Laub