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Long Profile of a river

Cross Profile of a river

In the Upper Course of a river the river has a steep gradient, a small discharge, a smaller width and the river is a steep V-shape.

In the Middle Course of a river the river has a gentler gradient, a bigger width, a bigger discharge and the river is U-shape.

In the Lower Course of a river the river has an almost flat gradient, a large discharge, a large amount of material but small and rounded because of erosional processes such as attrition and hydraulic action and the river is a wide U-shape.

The source of a river can be a spring, a melting glacier in the mountains or wetlands: marshes and bogs. 

Part of river

Feature

Meanders
U-shaped valleys
Oxbow Lakes
River Cliffs
Floodplain
Levees
U-shaped valleys
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