93:
38:
108:
in 1945, channels with no tributaries are called "first-order" streams. When two first-order streams meet, they are said to form a second-order stream; when two second-order streams meet, they form a third-order stream, and so on. In the Horton system, the entire mainstem of a drainage basin was
124:, reach 9. Streams with no tributaries, assigned the Strahler number 1, are most common. More than 1.5 million of these small streams, with average drainage basins of only 1 square mile (2.6 km), have been identified in the United States alone. Outside of the United States, the
77:
to the outlet of the river, although there are multiple ways to determine which headwater (or first-order tributary) is the source of the mainstem. Water enters the mainstem from the river's
264:
257:
495:
863:
113:
system, adopted in 1957, only that part of the mainstem below the tributary of the next highest rank gets the highest number.
250:
17:
190:
160:
1489:
81:, the land area through which the mainstem and its tributaries flow. A drainage basin may also be referred to as a
1020:
100:
Hydrological classification systems assign numbers to tributaries and mainstems within a drainage basin. In the
1484:
1045:
1186:
1136:
1030:
1464:
1510:
690:
31:
1474:
1426:
1309:
1459:
1176:
1141:
983:
120:
mainstem achieves a
Strahler number of 10, the highest in the nation. Eight rivers, including the
1469:
1161:
926:
152:
146:
1520:
1411:
1269:
820:
705:
110:
1249:
1096:
1058:
507:
446:
1479:
1201:
1025:
785:
642:
592:
386:
8:
1375:
1370:
1171:
1015:
637:
490:
411:
318:
222:
1401:
1314:
1279:
1131:
647:
552:
456:
348:
281:
1121:
1380:
1219:
1211:
1151:
1111:
1000:
815:
577:
567:
353:
186:
156:
117:
42:
1294:
1196:
1101:
850:
700:
695:
672:
612:
441:
313:
105:
1515:
1299:
1259:
1254:
858:
745:
740:
524:
461:
431:
396:
391:
358:
323:
294:
128:
reaches a
Strahler number of 12, making it the highest-order river in the world.
101:
1360:
1244:
1224:
1106:
1091:
978:
963:
958:
918:
898:
810:
652:
632:
597:
529:
514:
421:
343:
303:
121:
78:
242:
1504:
1441:
1436:
1421:
1406:
1355:
1350:
1116:
1081:
1035:
995:
990:
750:
622:
582:
328:
308:
183:
Rivers of the United States: Volume II: Chemical and
Physical Characteristics
1431:
1181:
1166:
1156:
1005:
936:
805:
770:
685:
627:
502:
401:
363:
338:
125:
92:
37:
1340:
1264:
968:
931:
878:
602:
587:
562:
436:
96:
Strahler diagram. Only a segment of the mainstem gets the highest number.
1446:
1126:
1010:
950:
908:
780:
617:
485:
426:
416:
333:
1416:
1365:
1335:
1304:
1234:
903:
790:
775:
715:
662:
657:
557:
480:
470:
368:
74:
70:
50:
1086:
1053:
730:
572:
539:
1396:
1345:
873:
868:
830:
735:
607:
544:
1191:
1063:
888:
883:
835:
825:
795:
720:
475:
406:
378:
277:
151:. Burlington, Massachusetts: Elsevier Academic Press. p.
1289:
1274:
1229:
973:
946:
893:
760:
755:
725:
710:
519:
289:
273:
66:
1319:
1284:
840:
800:
765:
109:
assigned the highest number in that basin. However, in the
1239:
680:
145:
Benke, Arthur C. & Cushing, Colbert E., eds. (2005).
45:
drainage basin with the mainstem highlighted in dark blue
73:". The mainstem extends all the way from one specific
185:. New York: John Wiley & Sons. pp. 15–17.
1502:
272:
258:
208:
144:
223:"How Are the World's Waterways Classified?"
265:
251:
65:) is "the primary downstream segment of a
204:
202:
176:
174:
172:
104:, a modification of a system devised by
91:
36:
27:Final large channel of a riverine system
864:International scale of river difficulty
180:
14:
1503:
199:
169:
246:
24:
220:
25:
1532:
1021:Flooded grasslands and savannas
214:
138:
13:
1:
131:
1187:Universal Soil Loss Equation
1137:Hydrological transport model
1031:Storm Water Management Model
7:
10:
1537:
691:Antecedent drainage stream
209:Benke & Cushing (2005)
116:In the United States, the
32:Main stem (disambiguation)
29:
1455:
1427:River valley civilization
1389:
1328:
1310:Riparian-zone restoration
1210:
1072:
1044:
945:
917:
849:
671:
538:
455:
377:
288:
1490:Countries without rivers
1465:Rivers by discharge rate
1177:Runoff model (reservoir)
1142:Infiltration (hydrology)
1162:River Continuum Concept
927:Agricultural wastewater
148:Rivers of North America
69:, as contrasted to its
1485:River name etymologies
1412:Hydraulic civilization
1270:Floodplain restoration
1046:Point source pollution
821:Sedimentary structures
181:Patrick, Ruth (1995).
97:
46:
1097:Discharge (hydrology)
1059:Industrial wastewater
540:Sedimentary processes
95:
40:
1202:Volumetric flow rate
786:Riffle-pool sequence
30:For other uses, see
18:Mainstem (hydrology)
1376:Whitewater kayaking
1371:Whitewater canoeing
1172:Runoff curve number
1016:Flood pulse concept
1402:Aquatic toxicology
1315:Stream restoration
1280:Infiltration basin
1132:Hydrological model
648:Sediment transport
471:Estavelle/Inversac
349:Subterranean river
98:
47:
1511:Fluvial landforms
1498:
1497:
1475:Whitewater rivers
1381:Whitewater slalom
1212:River engineering
1112:Groundwater model
1073:River measurement
1001:Flood forecasting
816:Sedimentary basin
673:Fluvial landforms
578:Bed material load
354:River bifurcation
118:Mississippi River
61:(also known as a
43:Mississippi River
16:(Redirected from
1528:
1460:Rivers by length
1295:River morphology
1197:Wetted perimeter
1102:Drainage density
613:Headward erosion
442:Perennial stream
314:Blackwater river
267:
260:
253:
244:
243:
237:
236:
234:
233:
221:Briney, Amanda.
218:
212:
206:
197:
196:
178:
167:
166:
142:
106:Robert E. Horton
21:
1536:
1535:
1531:
1530:
1529:
1527:
1526:
1525:
1501:
1500:
1499:
1494:
1470:Drainage basins
1451:
1385:
1324:
1300:Retention basin
1260:Erosion control
1255:Detention basin
1206:
1122:Hjulström curve
1074:
1068:
1040:
984:Non-water flood
941:
913:
859:Helicoidal flow
845:
746:Fluvial terrace
741:Floating island
667:
542:
534:
525:Rhythmic spring
459:
451:
432:Stream gradient
373:
359:River ecosystem
324:Channel pattern
292:
284:
271:
241:
240:
231:
229:
219:
215:
207:
200:
193:
179:
170:
163:
143:
139:
134:
102:Strahler number
35:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1534:
1524:
1523:
1518:
1513:
1496:
1495:
1493:
1492:
1487:
1482:
1477:
1472:
1467:
1462:
1456:
1453:
1452:
1450:
1449:
1444:
1439:
1434:
1429:
1424:
1419:
1414:
1409:
1404:
1399:
1393:
1391:
1387:
1386:
1384:
1383:
1378:
1373:
1368:
1363:
1361:Stone skipping
1358:
1353:
1348:
1343:
1338:
1332:
1330:
1326:
1325:
1323:
1322:
1317:
1312:
1307:
1302:
1297:
1292:
1287:
1282:
1277:
1272:
1267:
1262:
1257:
1252:
1247:
1245:Drop structure
1242:
1237:
1232:
1227:
1225:Balancing lake
1222:
1216:
1214:
1208:
1207:
1205:
1204:
1199:
1194:
1189:
1184:
1179:
1174:
1169:
1164:
1159:
1154:
1152:Playfair's law
1149:
1144:
1139:
1134:
1129:
1124:
1119:
1114:
1109:
1107:Exner equation
1104:
1099:
1094:
1092:Bradshaw model
1089:
1084:
1078:
1076:
1070:
1069:
1067:
1066:
1061:
1056:
1050:
1048:
1042:
1041:
1039:
1038:
1033:
1028:
1023:
1018:
1013:
1008:
1003:
998:
993:
988:
987:
986:
981:
979:Urban flooding
971:
966:
964:Crevasse splay
961:
959:100-year flood
955:
953:
943:
942:
940:
939:
934:
929:
923:
921:
919:Surface runoff
915:
914:
912:
911:
906:
901:
899:Stream capture
896:
891:
886:
881:
876:
871:
866:
861:
855:
853:
847:
846:
844:
843:
838:
833:
828:
823:
818:
813:
811:Rock-cut basin
808:
803:
798:
793:
788:
783:
778:
773:
768:
763:
758:
753:
748:
743:
738:
733:
728:
723:
718:
713:
708:
703:
698:
693:
688:
683:
677:
675:
669:
668:
666:
665:
660:
655:
653:Suspended load
650:
645:
643:Secondary flow
640:
635:
633:Retrogradation
630:
625:
620:
615:
610:
605:
600:
598:Dissolved load
595:
590:
585:
580:
575:
570:
565:
560:
555:
549:
547:
536:
535:
533:
532:
530:Spring horizon
527:
522:
517:
515:Mineral spring
512:
511:
510:
500:
499:
498:
496:list in the US
493:
483:
478:
473:
467:
465:
453:
452:
450:
449:
444:
439:
434:
429:
424:
422:Stream channel
419:
414:
409:
404:
399:
394:
389:
383:
381:
375:
374:
372:
371:
366:
361:
356:
351:
346:
344:Drainage basin
341:
336:
331:
326:
321:
316:
311:
306:
304:Alluvial river
300:
298:
286:
285:
270:
269:
262:
255:
247:
239:
238:
213:
198:
191:
168:
161:
136:
135:
133:
130:
122:Columbia River
79:drainage basin
26:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1533:
1522:
1521:Water streams
1519:
1517:
1514:
1512:
1509:
1508:
1506:
1491:
1488:
1486:
1483:
1481:
1478:
1476:
1473:
1471:
1468:
1466:
1463:
1461:
1458:
1457:
1454:
1448:
1445:
1443:
1442:Surface water
1440:
1438:
1437:Sacred waters
1435:
1433:
1430:
1428:
1425:
1423:
1422:Riparian zone
1420:
1418:
1415:
1413:
1410:
1408:
1407:Body of water
1405:
1403:
1400:
1398:
1395:
1394:
1392:
1388:
1382:
1379:
1377:
1374:
1372:
1369:
1367:
1364:
1362:
1359:
1357:
1356:Riverboarding
1354:
1352:
1351:River surfing
1349:
1347:
1344:
1342:
1339:
1337:
1334:
1333:
1331:
1327:
1321:
1318:
1316:
1313:
1311:
1308:
1306:
1303:
1301:
1298:
1296:
1293:
1291:
1288:
1286:
1283:
1281:
1278:
1276:
1273:
1271:
1268:
1266:
1263:
1261:
1258:
1256:
1253:
1251:
1248:
1246:
1243:
1241:
1238:
1236:
1233:
1231:
1228:
1226:
1223:
1221:
1218:
1217:
1215:
1213:
1209:
1203:
1200:
1198:
1195:
1193:
1190:
1188:
1185:
1183:
1180:
1178:
1175:
1173:
1170:
1168:
1165:
1163:
1160:
1158:
1155:
1153:
1150:
1148:
1145:
1143:
1140:
1138:
1135:
1133:
1130:
1128:
1125:
1123:
1120:
1118:
1115:
1113:
1110:
1108:
1105:
1103:
1100:
1098:
1095:
1093:
1090:
1088:
1085:
1083:
1080:
1079:
1077:
1075:and modelling
1071:
1065:
1062:
1060:
1057:
1055:
1052:
1051:
1049:
1047:
1043:
1037:
1036:Return period
1034:
1032:
1029:
1027:
1024:
1022:
1019:
1017:
1014:
1012:
1009:
1007:
1004:
1002:
999:
997:
996:Flood control
994:
992:
991:Flood barrier
989:
985:
982:
980:
977:
976:
975:
972:
970:
967:
965:
962:
960:
957:
956:
954:
952:
948:
944:
938:
935:
933:
930:
928:
925:
924:
922:
920:
916:
910:
907:
905:
902:
900:
897:
895:
892:
890:
887:
885:
882:
880:
877:
875:
872:
870:
867:
865:
862:
860:
857:
856:
854:
852:
848:
842:
839:
837:
834:
832:
829:
827:
824:
822:
819:
817:
814:
812:
809:
807:
804:
802:
799:
797:
794:
792:
789:
787:
784:
782:
779:
777:
774:
772:
769:
767:
764:
762:
759:
757:
754:
752:
749:
747:
744:
742:
739:
737:
734:
732:
729:
727:
724:
722:
719:
717:
714:
712:
709:
707:
704:
702:
699:
697:
694:
692:
689:
687:
684:
682:
679:
678:
676:
674:
670:
664:
661:
659:
656:
654:
651:
649:
646:
644:
641:
639:
636:
634:
631:
629:
626:
624:
623:Palaeochannel
621:
619:
616:
614:
611:
609:
606:
604:
601:
599:
596:
594:
591:
589:
586:
584:
583:Granular flow
581:
579:
576:
574:
571:
569:
566:
564:
561:
559:
556:
554:
551:
550:
548:
546:
541:
537:
531:
528:
526:
523:
521:
518:
516:
513:
509:
506:
505:
504:
501:
497:
494:
492:
489:
488:
487:
484:
482:
479:
477:
474:
472:
469:
468:
466:
463:
458:
454:
448:
445:
443:
440:
438:
435:
433:
430:
428:
425:
423:
420:
418:
415:
413:
410:
408:
405:
403:
400:
398:
395:
393:
390:
388:
385:
384:
382:
380:
376:
370:
367:
365:
362:
360:
357:
355:
352:
350:
347:
345:
342:
340:
337:
335:
332:
330:
329:Channel types
327:
325:
322:
320:
317:
315:
312:
310:
309:Braided river
307:
305:
302:
301:
299:
296:
291:
287:
283:
279:
275:
268:
263:
261:
256:
254:
249:
248:
245:
228:
224:
217:
210:
205:
203:
194:
192:0-471-10752-2
188:
184:
177:
175:
173:
164:
162:0-12-088253-1
158:
154:
150:
149:
141:
137:
129:
127:
123:
119:
114:
112:
107:
103:
94:
90:
88:
84:
80:
76:
72:
68:
64:
60:
56:
52:
44:
39:
33:
19:
1480:Flash floods
1432:River cruise
1329:River sports
1182:Stream gauge
1167:Rouse number
1157:Relief ratio
1146:
1006:Flood-meadow
937:Urban runoff
851:Fluvial flow
836:River valley
806:River island
771:Meander scar
686:Alluvial fan
628:Progradation
503:Karst spring
447:Winterbourne
402:Chalk stream
364:River source
339:Distributary
230:. Retrieved
226:
216:
211:, p. 4.
182:
147:
140:
126:Amazon River
115:
99:
86:
82:
62:
58:
54:
48:
1341:Fly fishing
1265:Fish ladder
1250:Daylighting
969:Flash flood
932:First flush
879:Plunge pool
603:Downcutting
588:Debris flow
563:Aggradation
437:Stream pool
71:tributaries
1505:Categories
1447:Wild river
1127:Hydrograph
1117:Hack's law
1082:Baer's law
1026:Inundation
1011:Floodplain
951:stormwater
909:Whitewater
781:Oxbow lake
618:Knickpoint
593:Deposition
486:Hot spring
427:Streamflow
417:Stream bed
334:Confluence
232:2018-12-24
132:References
1417:Limnology
1366:Triathlon
1336:Canyoning
1305:Revetment
1235:Check dam
1147:Main stem
904:Waterfall
791:Point bar
776:Mouth bar
716:Billabong
663:Water gap
658:Wash load
638:Saltation
558:Anabranch
481:Holy well
369:Tributary
227:ThoughtCo
87:catchment
83:watershed
75:headwater
55:main stem
51:hydrology
1220:Aqueduct
1087:Baseflow
1054:Effluent
731:Cut bank
696:Avulsion
573:Bed load
553:Abrasion
111:Strahler
59:mainstem
1397:Aquifer
1390:Related
1346:Rafting
874:Meander
869:Log jam
831:Thalweg
736:Estuary
608:Erosion
545:erosion
457:Springs
412:Current
379:Streams
319:Channel
282:springs
278:streams
1516:Rivers
1192:WAFLEX
1064:Sewage
947:Floods
889:Riffle
884:Rapids
826:Strath
796:Ravine
721:Canyon
476:Geyser
407:Coulee
392:Bourne
387:Arroyo
290:Rivers
274:Rivers
189:
159:
1290:Levee
1275:Flume
1230:Canal
974:Flood
894:Shoal
761:Gully
756:Gulch
726:Chine
711:Bayou
568:Armor
520:Ponor
295:lists
67:river
63:trunk
1320:Weir
1285:Leat
949:and
841:Wadi
801:Rill
766:Glen
751:Gill
701:Bank
543:and
508:list
491:list
462:list
397:Burn
280:and
187:ISBN
157:ISBN
153:1137
53:, a
41:The
1240:Dam
706:Bar
681:Ait
85:or
57:or
49:In
1507::
276:,
225:.
201:^
171:^
155:.
89:.
464:)
460:(
297:)
293:(
266:e
259:t
252:v
235:.
195:.
165:.
34:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.