Riverside facts & stats

Question 1

Where a river begins is called its what?

Accepted Answer

Source. The source is where a river starts; the mouth is where it ends at a sea, lake or larger river.

Question 2

Which animal is famous for building dams across streams and rivers?

Accepted Answer

Beaver. Beavers build dams from branches and mud, creating ponds where they build their lodges.

Question 3

What is a curved lake formed when a river meander is cut off called?

Accepted Answer

Oxbow lake. When a river cuts across the neck of a loop, the old bend is left behind as an oxbow lake.

Question 4

Which river carries more water to the ocean than any other?

Accepted Answer

Amazon. The Amazon's discharge of water is far greater than that of any other river on Earth.

Question 5

A river delta is named after a letter from which alphabet?

Accepted Answer

Greek. The Nile delta's triangle shape reminded Greek writers of the capital letter delta, Δ.

Question 6

What do ecologists call the vegetated zone along a river's banks?

Accepted Answer

Riparian zone. Riparian zones, from Latin ripa (bank), shade water, filter runoff and shelter wildlife.

Question 7

What is an estuary?

Accepted Answer

Where a river meets the sea and fresh water mixes with salt water. Estuaries hold brackish water and are rich nurseries for fish and birds.

The basics