What is a river? The source

Rivers are large natural streams of water that The source is where a river starts its journey flow over land. Their job is to take rain water and is usually found in the hills or mountains. back to the sea.

Streams Waterfalls

A stream is a small, narrow river. It is formed Waterfalls form where a river bed crosses from near the source when trickles of water combine hard rock to softer rock. The river wears down together. the softer rock and creates a step.

Tributaries Meanders

A small river that flows into a larger one is As the river flows along flatter ground, it slows known as a tributary. The point at which two down and erodes more sideways than rivers join is called a confluence. downwards, forming bends called meanders.

Flood plains River mouths

A flood plain is flat land close to the river banks The mouth of a river is where it meets: the sea, which can easily get flooded when the river a lake or a larger waterway and ends its overflows. journey.

The River Severn The River Thames

The River Severn is the longest river in the UK, The River Thames flows for 215 miles from its at 220 miles (354km). source at Thames Head in Gloucestershire to its mouth at the Thames Estuary where it enters Its source is a beat bog 610m above sea level in the North Sea. the Cambrian Mountains of Wales. Its mouth is the Bristol Channel which is over five miles It is slow and meandering for most of its length wide. and can be crossed by over 100 bridges.

During high tides, a wall of water can travel up To prevent flooding, the Thames Barrier was the river for over 25 miles. This tidal wave is built across the river which is closed at known as the Severn Bore and can swell the exceptionally high tides. depth of the river by up to 15 metres.