Geography 10
River Drainage Basins
Ms. Ripley
Name:_______________________
Introduction:
If you look at the top of a large tree you will see lots of
twigs. Twigs are small branches. If you follow these
downwards, as in diagram A. you will see these twigs
joining to form branches. These branches in turn join to
form one big trunk.
A river basin (drainage basin) is like a tree. It has lots of
small streams which join to form tributaries which later
join to form the main river (diagram B). When it rains
most of the water slowly drains into streams, then into
tributaries and finally into the main river. A river basin is
the area of and drained by a main river and its tributaries. The area of highland
marking the edge of the basin is called a watershed.
Section 1: Decode the words:
The area of land drained by a major river and its _________________
(rtibutreais) is called a river or drainage __________________ (sabin).
Example: the biggest drainage basin in North America is that of the
_____________ (ssssppiiiim) River.
Geography 10
River Drainage Basins
Ms. Ripley
Name:_______________________
The boundary between one drainage basin and another is called a watershed or
___________(iidvde).
Example: the Rocky Mountains acts as a divide between rivers which flows west into
the _______(capfiic) Ocean and those flowing North East into
________________(hdsoun) Bay and the _________(ccaitr) Ocean.
Section 2: Complete these sentences using the list of endings.
1. A water shed is
2. The source is
3. A drainage basin is
4. A tributary is
5. A channel is
6. The mouth is
List of endings.
is an area of highland forming the edge of a river basin
is where a river begins
a stream or small river flowing into a main river
is where the river flows
is an area of land drained by river and its tributaries
is where a river flows into a lake or the sea
Section 3:
Sketch map of a Drainage Basin
Geography 10
River Drainage Basins
Ms. Ripley
Name:_______________________
Circle the correct answer.
1. The general direction of the flow of the water in the drainage basin is:
A. ENE
B. N
C. ESE
D. W
2. The approximate distance between X and Y is:
A. 8km
B. 16km
C. 58km
D. 85km
3. Point Y on the sketch map is:
A. mouth of the river
B. source of the river
C. a tributary
D. a meander
4. The dashed line in the sketch map above represents:
A. a drainage basin
B. delta
C. watershed
D. discharge
2. On the sketch map above, clearly label:
a. an estuary
b. a confluence
c. the stream order
3. Complete the table:
Stream order
Stream
number
1st order
2nd order
3rd order
4th order
Geography 10
River Drainage Basins
Ms. Ripley
Name:_______________________
Section 4: Use the Atlas page 59 to:
1. Name rivers 1 to 15.
2. Colour all rivers and the coastline blue.
3. Name these oceans and seas: Pacific, Arctic, North Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico.
4. Draw a dashed line to show the watersheds (divides) of:
a. the Mississippi Drainage Basin
b. the Columbia Drainage Basin
c. the Mackenzie Drainage Basin
d. the Saskatchewan Drainage Basin
Geography 10
River Drainage Basins
Ms. Ripley
Name:_______________________