A River's Journey
Just like people, rivers have different stages. And like people, rivers have different characteristics when they are young, middle-aged, and mature. Take a look at the pictures. Which river do you think is still in the mountains? Which one is in the lower stage? How can you tell?
Click through the images in the activity to learn more about the life stages of a river—so you can answer these questions.
So, what stages are the rivers at the top of the page? How can you tell?
The one on the left is fast-moving and has a steep gradient. It is the upper stage. The one on the right is slower and has a gentler gradient. It is more mature and in the middle stage.
