Explore Iowa Geology

Rivers

Rivers are complex dynamic natural systems that move sediment, transport goods and people.

Henry David Thoreau

Henry David Throreau

I was born upon thy bank, river,
My blood flows in thy stream,
And thou meanderest forever
At the bottom of my dream.

River Types

Many of these videos were orgionally posted by Paul Heller at the University of Wyoming for the original files check out this website "http://faculty.gg.uwyo.edu/heller/sed_video_downloads.htm"

Braided

Braided River from Explore Iowa's Geology (IGEIN) on Vimeo.

Questions: (produced by Dr. Paola, U. of Minnesota)
What is avulsion?
What do you think may cause an avulsion?

Dune bedding: Climbing ripples (a.k.a. dunes) migrating from
lower left to upper right provided by David Rubin, U.S. Geological Survey (P. Heller).

Questions: (video produced by P. Heller)
Does each particle move along the same path?
What names could you use to describe the movement of particles?
If not what factors might cause the particles to move differently?

Oscillation (wave) Ripples: (video produced by Nikki Strong)

Brown Betty beach in Cataract Caynon

Questions:
Other than water, what force is changing this landscape?
Which force is most likely to be preserved as a sedimentary rock structure? Why?