Fluvial Morphology Introduction to Stream Geomorphology Geomorphology is the systematic description, analysis, and understanding of landscapes and the processes that change them. Over time, the land surface is shaped by uplift from within the earth, and the effects of water, wind, and ice.
Hydrology is the science dealing with the properties, distribution, and circulation of water.
A stream's physical appearance and character are the result of its adjustment to the quantity of water and extent of erosion within its watershed. A reach is a continuous section of a stream or river. The stage of a flow is the elevation of the water surface. Stream channels contain alternating regions of riffles and pools. During low flows, riffles are regions of shallow, rapid flow.