Question

Distinguish between:

• Tributaries and Distributaries

Answer 1

Tributaries are smaller rivers or strams that join the main river in a watershed or drainage basin and augment its supply of water. Tributaries have their sources in glaciers, lakes and underground streams. They are ususally found in the young and middle stages of a river.

Distributaries are branches of rivers that flow away from the main channel. They are a prominent feature in lowlying delta regions near the mouths of the river. They are formed by the deposition of exccesive silt by the river that causes the diversion of a volume of water from the main channel.