riverbed
Where currents carve
The channel along which a river flows, including the bottom and banks that contain the water.
During dry seasons or drought, a riverbed may be partially or completely exposed: We walked along the dry riverbed, stepping over smooth stones.
Loose small rock fragments
- pebblesSmall water-smoothed stones
- sandFine rock particles
- siltWaterborne earth particles
- cobblesRounded paving stones
boulders · alluvium · clay · deposits · shingle · substrate · layers · strata
Passage for transmission
- streamSteady continuous flow
- creekNarrow natural watercourse
- brookSmall flowing watercourse
- tributaryStream entering larger river
confluence · flow · current · meander · rapids · riffle · pool · headwaters
Having surface fractures
- parchedExtremely dry or thirsty
- exposedOut in open
- dustyCoated with fine particles
- sunbakedDried by solar heat
arid · desiccated · drought · barren · gulch · arroyo · wadi · seasonal
Vigorous abrasive cleaning
- undercuttingCharging less than rivals
- downcuttingVertical channel erosion
- abrasionShallow surface wound
- weatheringAtmospheric breakdown of materials
meander · oxbow · carved · channeling · incision · gullying · pothole · degradation
Freshwater pinching crustacean
- musselsEdible marine bivalves
- salmonPink-fleshed migratory fish
- troutFreshwater game fish
- spawningReleasing eggs to reproduce
algae · benthos · refugia · riffle · pool · microhabitat · aquatic · amphibians
Study of ancient organisms
- trilobitesExtinct marine arthropods
- ammonitesExtinct coiled-shell cephalopods
- petrifiedSolidified or fear-paralyzed
- excavationAct of unearthing
fossils · prehistoric · strata · embedded · preserved · sedimentary · imprints · bones
gravel
Loose small rock fragments
cobbles · boulders · alluvium · clay · deposits · shingle · substrate · layers · strata · fluvial
channel
Passage for transmission
tributary · confluence · flow · current · meander · rapids · riffle · pool · headwaters · drainage
cracked
Having surface fractures
sunbaked · arid · desiccated · drought · barren · gulch · arroyo · wadi · seasonal · ephemeral
scouring
Vigorous abrasive cleaning
- undercuttingCharging less than rivals
- downcuttingVertical channel erosion
- abrasionShallow surface wound
weathering · meander · oxbow · carved · channeling · incision · gullying · pothole · degradation · scour
crayfish
Freshwater pinching crustacean
spawning · algae · benthos · refugia · riffle · pool · microhabitat · aquatic · amphibians · insects
paleontology
Study of ancient organisms
- trilobitesExtinct marine arthropods
- ammonitesExtinct coiled-shell cephalopods
- petrifiedSolidified or fear-paralyzed
excavation · fossils · prehistoric · strata · embedded · preserved · sedimentary · imprints · bones · shells
- floodplainsalluvium, flood zone, backswamp, bottomland, floodway
- river featuresriverbank, current, tributary, flow, fork
- Jordan ValleyDead Sea, Sea of Galilee, valley floor, tributaries, Jericho
- freshwaterponds, freshwater lake, creek, brook, pond life
- African Safarielephant, elephants, lions, zebras, zebra
- hollowscavity, crater, hollow, dent, hole
riverbedriverbank
Land bordering a stream
riverbanks · bank · embankment · levee · water surface
riverbedfloodplain
Flood-prone riverside lowland
dry land · highland · upland · terra firma
- dry riverbedChannel without current water
- dried riverbedFormer watercourse, now parched