A

atmosphere

the blanket of air which covers the earth

B

basin

a bowl shaped land formation usually caused by a glacier

brackish

water that is not fresh but is not fully salt water

C

canyon

walls of rock along a river, sometimes very steep

condensation

water vapor that is forming droplets

D

dams

earth or other construction along a river to control water flow

debris

rock, soil or other material not considered useful

delta

a collection of rocks and soil at the mouth of a river

drainage basin

the area of land drained by a major river system

E

erosion

the movement of rock and soil

estuary

an area of a river where the fresh water meets the salt water

evaporation

the changing of water to water vapor

F

flood

excess water from a river which spills over its banks

flood plain

the area often affected by a flood

fork

the place where two rivers meet

G

gaseous

in a gas-like state; not solid, not liquid - like steam

glacier

a body of snow and ice that moves like a river

H

headwaters

the beginning of a river

M

meander

the twisting and turning of a river's flow

moraine

the leftover matter - usually rock and debris from a glacier

mouth

the point at which a river empties into another body of water

O

oxbow lake

a U shaped remnant of a part of a meander which forms a lake

P

plunge pool

the deep pool that forms at the bottom of a waterfall

precipitation

water that falls from the clouds - rain, snow, hail or sleet

prehistoric

before people were around to keep records of history

R

runoff

water that melts and runs off of a mountain

S

snowcaps

the snow at the top of a mountain

T

tributary

smaller rivers which collect together to make a bigger river

V

valleys

V shaped grooves formed by erosion

W

water cycle

the process of water moving from a lake or ocean to the clouds and back to the earth again