creek bed
Dry channel floor
The channel along which a creek flows, typically visible as a depression in the landscape with banks on either side.
When dry, the creek bed reveals rocks, sand, or mud that are normally underwater.
We walked along the dry creek bed looking for interesting stones.
After the flood receded, debris littered the creek bed.
Water-deposited loose sediment
- gravelLoose small rock fragments
- pebblesSmall water-smoothed stones
- sandFine rock particles
- siltWaterborne earth particles
clay · cobbles · boulders · bedrock · substrate · deposition · fluvial · stratification
Extremely dry or thirsty
- crackedHaving surface fractures
- dustyCoated with fine particles
- bakedCooked by dry heat
- sunbakedDried by solar heat
waterless · drought · seasonal · ephemeral · intermittent · exposed · barren · arid
Steady continuous flow
- brookSmall flowing watercourse
- rivuletVery small stream
- watercourseChannel for flowing liquid
- tributaryStream entering larger river
current · flow · channel · meander · watershed · headwaters · spring · confluence
Particles settling in liquid
- weatheringAtmospheric breakdown of materials
- scourClean by hard rubbing
- gullyChannel carved by flowing water
- washoutComplete failure or cancellation
undercutting · siltation · abrasion · runoff · channelization · downcutting · incision · flash flood
Relating to riverbanks
- ecosystemInterconnected organisms and surroundings
- wetlandWaterlogged land ecosystem
- faunaAnimal life collectively
- floraPlants of a region
aquatic · invertebrates · amphibians · fish · crayfish · salamander · minnow · tadpole
alluvium
Water-deposited loose sediment
silt · clay · cobbles · boulders · bedrock · substrate · deposition · fluvial · stratification · sorting
parched
Extremely dry or thirsty
sunbaked · waterless · drought · seasonal · ephemeral · intermittent · exposed · barren · arid · desiccated
stream
Steady continuous flow
- brookSmall flowing watercourse
- rivuletVery small stream
- watercourseChannel for flowing liquid
tributary · current · flow · channel · meander · watershed · headwaters · spring · confluence · runoff
sediment
Particles settling in liquid
- weatheringAtmospheric breakdown of materials
- scourClean by hard rubbing
- gullyChannel carved by flowing water
washout · undercutting · siltation · abrasion · runoff · channelization · downcutting · incision · flash flood · debris flow
riparian
Relating to riverbanks
- ecosystemInterconnected organisms and surroundings
- wetlandWaterlogged land ecosystem
- faunaAnimal life collectively
flora · aquatic · invertebrates · amphibians · fish · crayfish · salamander · minnow · tadpole · dragonfly
- Gold RushCalifornia Gold Rush, gold miners, gold mining, gold flakes, gold nuggets
- habitatsforest, ocean, lake, river, pond
- Western Landscapesmesa, butte, canyon, arroyo, sagebrush
- floodplainsalluvium, flood zone, backswamp, bottomland, floodway
- Great PlainsGreat Plains, high plains, High Plains, grassland, grasslands
- river landscapesfloodplain, bottomland, sediment, silt, oxbow lake
creek bedcreek bank
Edge of small waterway
stream bank · riverbank · water surface · bank · banks
creek bedhilltop
Apex of a knoll
ridge · running water · mountaintop · upland · high ground