![Hoevelhof-Schwarzwasserbach01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/Hoevelhof-Schwarzwasserbach01.jpg)
River bifurcation (from la, furca, fork) occurs when a river flowing in a single
stream
A stream is a continuous body of water, body of surface water Current (stream), flowing within the stream bed, bed and bank (geography), banks of a channel (geography), channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a stream ...
separates into two or more separate streams (called
distributaries
A distributary, or a distributary channel, is a stream that branches off and flows away from a main stream channel. Distributaries are a common feature of river deltas. The phenomenon is known as river bifurcation. The opposite of a distributary ...
) which then continue downstream. Some rivers form complex networks of distributaries, typically in their
deltas
A river delta is a landform shaped like a triangle, created by deposition of sediment that is carried by a river and enters slower-moving or stagnant water. This occurs where a river enters an ocean, sea, estuary, lake, reservoir, or (more rarel ...
. If the streams eventually merge again or empty into the same body of water, then the bifurcation forms a
river island
River Island is a London-based, multi-channel fashion brand, founded in 1948 by Bernard Lewis. The retailer has a presence in over 125 of worldwide markets, in stores and online.
Best known for its trend focused womenswear offering, River Isla ...
.
River bifurcation may be temporary or semi-permanent, depending on the strength of the material that is dividing the two distributaries. For example, a mid-stream island of soil or silt in a delta is most likely temporary, due to low material strength. A location where a river divides around a rock fin, e.g. a volcanically formed
dike
Dyke (UK) or dike (US) may refer to:
General uses
* Dyke (slang), a slang word meaning "lesbian"
* Dike (geology), a subvertical sheet-like intrusion of magma or sediment
* Dike (mythology), ''Dikē'', the Greek goddess of moral justice
* Dikes ...
, or a mountain, may be more lasting as a result of higher material strength and resistance to weathering and erosion. A bifurcation may also be man-made, for example when two streams are separated by a long
bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...
pier.
Scientific study of bifurcation
River bifurcation occurs in many types of rivers. It is common in
meander
A meander is one of a series of regular sinuous curves in the channel of a river or other watercourse. It is produced as a watercourse erodes the sediments of an outer, concave bank ( cut bank) and deposits sediments on an inner, convex bank ...
ing and
braided
Braided is a musical group consisting of Casey LeBlanc, Ashley Leitão, and Amber Fleury, who all competed on the third season of '' Canadian Idol'' in 2005. They are the third music group to come from an Idol show in the world, after Young Div ...
rivers. In meandering rivers, bifurcations are often unstable in their configuration, and usually result in channel
avulsion. The stability of bifurcation is dependent on the rate of flow of the river upstream as well as the sediment transport of the upper reaches of the branches just after bifurcation occurs. The evolution of bifurcation is highly dependent on the discharge of the river upstream of the bifurcation. Unstable bifurcations are bifurcations in which only one channel receives water. Within deltas, these typically create channels with relatively large widths, and are also known as channel avulsions. Stable bifurcations are bifurcations in which both channels receive water.
In deltas, the directions of distributaries resulting from bifurcation are easily changeable by processes like
aggradation
Aggradation (or alluviation) is the term used in geology for the increase in land elevation, typically in a river system, due to the deposition of sediment. Aggradation occurs in areas in which the supply of sediment is greater than the amount o ...
, or differential
subsidence
Subsidence is a general term for downward vertical movement of the Earth's surface, which can be caused by both natural processes and human activities. Subsidence involves little or no horizontal movement, which distinguishes it from slope move ...
and
compaction. The number of distributaries that are present is in part determined by the rate of sediment discharge, and increased sediment discharge leads to more river bifurcation. This then leads to increased numbers of distributaries in deltas.
Delta bifurcation has a typical angle at which it is observed, with a critical angle of approximately 72º. However, observations and experiments show that many distributary channel bifurcations do not actually exhibit a bifurcation angle of 72º, but rather grow towards this angle over time after initiation of bifurcation. This implies that bifurcations that occur in deltas are semi-permanent, as many observed channels do not exhibit this angle due to their relatively recent initiation, or because some of the channels that do reach this bifurcation angle did not last to be observed.
Importance
As is the case with river
confluence
In geography, a confluence (also: ''conflux'') occurs where two or more flowing bodies of water join to form a single channel. A confluence can occur in several configurations: at the point where a tributary joins a larger river (main stem); o ...
, bifurcation is important in dividing land and morphological areas. Rivers are abundantly used as political boundaries, marking borders between regions of opposing countries, states and peoples, among other things. Sudden river bifurcation, even temporary, can disturb terranes that would otherwise be considered the same region. Bifurcations are different from confluences in that many confluences are considered important sites for cities and trade. But due to the semi-permanence of most bifurcated rivers, and their uncommon occurrences, the concept of construction is not largely exhibited at sites of river bifurcation.
Distributaries are common components of deltas, and are the opposite of tributaries. These distributaries, that are a result of river bifurcation, are important for the deposition and movement of water, sediment and nutrients from farther inland to the larger body of water that it empties into. Deltas are very important to humans, as the delta distributary regions provide homes to roughly half a billion people, and are exceptionally biologically rich.
Evolution
![River Bifurcation Figure](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9c/River_Bifurcation_Figure.png)
Bifurcated rivers are largely semi-permanent, and are subject to constant change in their configuration from evolving terranes and flow rates. As a result of this, observation of the process by which rivers bifurcate and then gradually deteriorate has been poorly documented. The evolution of river bifurcations from single channel to multi-channeled and back again is largely dependent on discharge rate from the
backwater regions of the channel. The bifurcation of channel systems begins when a single channel is forced to split when a bar of sediment causes initiation of the two channel system, however, this does not always result in a system in which both channels receive flow. In braided systems, evolution of bifurcate systems is largely determined by the water level of adjacent branches of the system. The water level differences in braided systems are themselves caused by closure of branch entrances as a result of bar growth. In addition to bar growth, differences in direction of bifurcated river flows from compound bar shapes and backwater effects also influence the evolution of the braided system.
Bifurcations move largely as a result of migration of the upstream channel. The configuration of the bifurcated system is also modified by the migration of bars within the system. This can cause sudden variations in channel widths, as well as width asymmetry in the system. Over time, the stable channel system will eventually deteriorate until only one channel receives flow from upstream, this then creates an unstable channel, one in which no flow passes through.
Impacts
River bifurcations impact the surrounding area in a plethora of ways, namely, redistributing flow of water, sediment and nutrients throughout a
watershed and delta. In addition to this, migrating bifurcations and
landform
A landform is a natural or anthropogenic land feature on the solid surface of the Earth or other planetary body. Landforms together make up a given terrain, and their arrangement in the landscape is known as topography. Landforms include hills, ...
s can alter the terranes in a given region affected by this process. Sudden bifurcation initiation can cause small scale
flood
A flood is an overflow of water ( or rarely other fluids) that submerges land that is usually dry. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Floods are an area of study of the discipline hydrol ...
ing of the surrounding area. The opposite, deterioration of a stable bifurcation to an unstable one, can have similar effects, as flow that was split through two channels now being directed through one can cause the stable channel to surpass bank-full stage, or the point at which the water level is above the river bank. This can also cause flooding, and is a prominent issue in regions where
levee
A levee (), dike (American English), dyke (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English), embankment, floodbank, or stop bank is a structure that is usually soil, earthen and that often runs parallel (geometry), parallel to ...
s are in use. Bifurcations are a major distributor of
nutrient
A nutrient is a substance used by an organism to survive, grow, and reproduce. The requirement for dietary nutrient intake applies to animals, plants, fungi, and protists. Nutrients can be incorporated into cells for metabolic purposes or excret ...
s and
mineral
In geology and mineralogy, a mineral or mineral species is, broadly speaking, a solid chemical compound with a fairly well-defined chemical composition and a specific crystal structure that occurs naturally in pure form.John P. Rafferty, ed. ( ...
particulates to biologically rich areas in deltas. Sudden deterioration or initiation of bifurcated systems can disrupt the deposition of material required for various
organism
In biology, an organism () is any living system that functions as an individual entity. All organisms are composed of cells (cell theory). Organisms are classified by taxonomy into groups such as multicellular animals, plants, and ...
s to live, and thus has an indirect impact on surrounding
ecosystem
An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Energy enters the syste ...
s via flow patterns.
Examples
*The
Casiquiare canal
The Casiquiare river () is a distributary of the upper Orinoco flowing southward into the Rio Negro, in Venezuela, South America. As such, it forms a unique natural canal between the Orinoco and Amazon river systems. It is the world's largest r ...
splits off from the
Orinoco
The Orinoco () is one of the longest rivers in South America at . Its drainage basin, sometimes known as the Orinoquia, covers , with 76.3 percent of it in Venezuela and the remainder in Colombia. It is the fourth largest river in the wor ...
(an east-flowing river in northern
Venezuela
Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
that empties into the
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea ( es, Mar Caribe; french: Mer des Caraïbes; ht, Lanmè Karayib; jam, Kiaribiyan Sii; nl, Caraïbische Zee; pap, Laman Karibe) is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico ...
) and heads south to join the
Rio Negro, an enormous south-flowing river that eventually joins the
Amazon River
The Amazon River (, ; es, Río Amazonas, pt, Rio Amazonas) in South America is the largest river by discharge volume of water in the world, and the disputed longest river system in the world in comparison to the Nile.
The headwaters of t ...
. The canal therefore provides a navigable channel between the large Orinoco basin and the enormous Amazon basin.
*Canada's aptly-named
Divide Creek
Divide Creek is a short creek near Kicking Horse Pass on the British Columbia/Alberta border (also the border between Yoho National Park and Banff National Park). After following the Continental Divide of the Americas for a short distance, the ...
splits into two branches near
Kicking Horse Pass
Kicking Horse Pass (el. ) is a high mountain pass across the Continental Divide of the Americas of the Canadian Rockies on the Alberta–British Columbia border, and lying within Yoho and Banff national parks. Divide Creek forks onto both s ...
on the Alberta–British Columbia border at the
North American continental divide
The Continental Divide of the Americas (also known as the Great Divide, the Western Divide or simply the Continental Divide; ) is the principal, and largely mountainous, hydrological divide of the Americas. The Continental Divide extends from t ...
. One branch flows west to the Pacific Ocean; the other flows east and eventually reaches the Atlantic Ocean via
Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay ( crj, text=ᐐᓂᐯᒄ, translit=Wînipekw; crl, text=ᐐᓂᐹᒄ, translit=Wînipâkw; iu, text=ᑲᖏᖅᓱᐊᓗᒃ ᐃᓗᐊ, translit=Kangiqsualuk ilua or iu, text=ᑕᓯᐅᔭᕐᔪᐊᖅ, translit=Tasiujarjuaq; french: b ...
.
* Similarly, at
Two Ocean Pass in
Wyoming
Wyoming () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the south ...
,
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, further south along the same continental divide, North Two Ocean Creek splits at the
Parting of the Waters. One creek is called the Atlantic Creek, which flows east to the
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an oceanic basin, ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of ...
via the
Yellowstone
Yellowstone National Park is an American national park located in the western United States, largely in the northwest corner of Wyoming and extending into Montana and Idaho. It was established by the 42nd U.S. Congress with the Yellowston ...
,
Missouri
Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...
and
Mississippi
Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...
Rivers; the other is called
Pacific Creek, which flows west to the
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...
via the
Snake
Snakes are elongated, Limbless vertebrate, limbless, carnivore, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes . Like all other Squamata, squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping Scale (zoology), scales. Ma ...
and
Columbia Rivers.
*The
Hase River in Melle, Germany divides into the Hase River and the
Else River and has been researched as a natural phenomenon.
*A
bifurcation of the Nerodimka River (Albanian ''Nerodimja'') in
Kosovo
Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Euro ...
, near town of
Ferizaj
Ferizaj, . or Uroševac, . Also formerly known as Ferizovići ( tr, Firzovik). is the sixth largest city in Kosovo by population and seat of Ferizaj Municipality and Ferizaj District.
Ferizaj has been populated since the prehistoric era by t ...
/
Uroševac
Ferizaj, . or Uroševac, . Also formerly known as Ferizovići ( tr, Firzovik). is the sixth largest city in Kosovo by population and seat of Ferizaj Municipality and Ferizaj District.
Ferizaj has been populated since the prehistoric era by t ...
, at , was a hydrological curiosity as separate streams flowed into the
Aegean and the
Black Sea
The Black Sea is a marginal mediterranean sea of the Atlantic Ocean lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bounded by Bulgaria, Georgia, Roma ...
. The Nerodimka bifurcation was the first hydrological protected object in the former Yugoslavia (1979). The Nerodimka bifurcation is a strict wildlife sanctuary, category I according to
IUCN
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...
, with an area of 13.0 ha (about 32 acres). This bifurcation is considered to be an artificial phenomenon, but created under extremely favorable natural conditions.
*In the past, the small
Kalaus River
The Kalaus (russian: Калаус) is a north-flowing river on the Black Sea-Caspian Steppe of southern Russia, in Stavropol Krai. It is long, and has a drainage basin of . in south-western Russia, when reaching the
thalweg
In geography and fluvial geomorphology, a thalweg or talweg () is the line of lowest elevation within a valley or watercourse.
Under international law, a thalweg is the middle of the primary navigable channel of a waterway that defines the bounda ...
of the Kuma-Manych Depression at , would split, the two distributaries becoming the headwaters of the
West and East Manych Rivers. The former flows west into the
Don River
The Don ( rus, Дон, p=don) is the fifth-longest river in Europe. Flowing from Central Russia to the Sea of Azov in Southern Russia, it is one of Russia's largest rivers and played an important role for traders from the Byzantine Empire.
Its ...
and eventually into the
Sea of Azov
The Sea of Azov ( Crimean Tatar: ''Azaq deñizi''; russian: Азовское море, Azovskoye more; uk, Азовське море, Azovs'ke more) is a sea in Eastern Europe connected to the Black Sea by the narrow (about ) Strait of Kerch, ...
, while the latter flows east, and is lost in the steppe before ever reaching the
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the world's largest inland body of water, often described as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. An endorheic basin, it lies between Europe and Asia; east of the Caucasus, west of the broad steppe of Central Asia ...
. However a dam was built, preventing water from flowing from the Kalaus into the East Manych; thus the Kalaus is now the source of the West Manych only.
[Alexander Anatolievich Bazelyuk (Базелюк Александр Анатольевич),]
АНТРОПОГЕННОЕ ИЗМЕНЕНИЕ ГИДРОГРАФИЧЕСКОЙ СЕТИ КУМО-МАНЫЧСКОЙ ВПАДИНЫ
" (Anthropogenic changes in the Hydrographic Network of the Kuma-Manych Depression), summary of the Cand. Sci. dissertation. Rostov-on-Don, 2007. Includes maps.
*The
Bahr Yussef
The Bahr Yussef ( ar, بحر يوسف; "the waterway of Joseph") is a canal which connects the Nile River with Fayyum in Egypt.
In ancient times it was called Tomis () by the Greeks which was derived from its Egyptian name ''Tm.t'' "ending canal ...
is a channel which splits off the west side of the
Nile
The Nile, , Bohairic , lg, Kiira , Nobiin language, Nobiin: Áman Dawū is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa. It flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile is the longest river in Africa and has historically been considered ...
and drains into the
Birket Qarun
Lake Moeris ( grc, Μοῖρις, genitive Μοίριδος) is an ancient lake in the northwest of the Faiyum Oasis, southwest of Cairo, Egypt. In prehistory, it was a freshwater lake, with an area estimated to vary between and .
It persists ...
, an
inland sea
An inland sea (also known as an epeiric sea or an epicontinental sea) is a continental body of water which is very large and is either completely surrounded by dry land or connected to an ocean by a river, strait, or "arm of the sea". An inland se ...
in the
Fayum Depression
The Faiyum Oasis ( ar, واحة الفيوم ''Waḥet El Fayyum'') is a depression or basin in the desert immediately to the west of the Nile, or just 62 miles south of Cairo in Egypt. The extent of the basin area is estimated at between 1,270 ...
. Originally a natural bifurcation for flood waters, its flow was increased by canalisation in the
12th Dynasty (about 1900 BC). Around 230 BC, the channel of the Nile from which it came (itself a bifurcation) dried up, but has since been fed by a new canal to allow water again to make it from the Nile to
Al Fayyum
Faiyum ( ar, الفيوم ' , borrowed from cop, ̀Ⲫⲓⲟⲙ or Ⲫⲓⲱⲙ ' from egy, pꜣ ym "the Sea, Lake") is a city in Middle Egypt. Located southwest of Cairo, in the Faiyum Oasis, it is the capital of the modern Faiyum ...
. The entire waterway is over 300 km long, consisting of modern canals taking Nile water from
Asyut
AsyutAlso spelled ''Assiout'' or ''Assiut'' ( ar, أسيوط ' , from ' ) is the capital of the modern Asyut Governorate in Egypt. It was built close to the ancient city of the same name, which is situated nearby. The modern city is located at , ...
to
Dairut
Dairut ( ) is a city in Egypt. It is located on the west bank of the Nile, in the Asyut Governorate. This is the point where the Nile divides, and a branch wanders off and eventually ends up in the Faiyum.
Climate
Köppen-Geiger climate cla ...
, the old Nile channel then runs alongside the Nile for over 150 km to
Lahun
El Lahun ( ar, اللاهون ''El Lāhūn,'' alt. Illahun, Lahun, or Kahun (the latter being a neologism coined by archaeologist William Matthew Flinders Petrie) is a workmen's village in Faiyum, Egypt. El Lahun is associated with the Pyramid o ...
, then the Ancient Egyptian canal carries the water into the
Fayum Depression
The Faiyum Oasis ( ar, واحة الفيوم ''Waḥet El Fayyum'') is a depression or basin in the desert immediately to the west of the Nile, or just 62 miles south of Cairo in Egypt. The extent of the basin area is estimated at between 1,270 ...
.
*In
Suriname
Suriname (; srn, Sranankondre or ), officially the Republic of Suriname ( nl, Republiek Suriname , srn, Ripolik fu Sranan), is a country on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north ...
, the
Wayombo and
Arrawarra split, the first flowing into the
Coppename
The Coppename is a river in Suriname (South America) in the district of Sipaliwini, forming part of the boundary between the districts of Coronie and Saramacca.
Course
The Coppename river begins in the Wilhelmina Mountains. Its tributaries are ...
, the second into the
Nickerie.
*The
Swedish
Swedish or ' may refer to:
Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically:
* Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland
** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...
side of
Torne River
The Torne, also known as the Tornio ( fi, Tornionjoki, sv, Torne älv, , se, Duortneseatnu, fit, Tornionväylä), is a river in northern Sweden and Finland. For approximately half of its length, it defines the border between these two countr ...
has a distributary called the
Tärendö River, which on average transports 57% of the water of the Torne River into the
Kalix River.
*The
Barak River
The Barak River flows through the states of Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram and Assam in India. Further it enters Bangladesh where it bifurcates into the Surma river and the Kushiyara river which converges again to become the Meghna river before for ...
splits into two major rivers at the India-Bangladesh border.
* The
Karnali River Karnali may refer to:
Places in Nepal
*Karnali Bridge, a bridge over the Karnali River in Nepal
*Karnali Highway, a vital transport link in Nepal
*Karnali Province, a federal province in Nepal
*Karnali River, a river in Nepal and India originatin ...
bifurcates in
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...
and the two parts rejoin after flowing into
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
for 80 kilometers.
*In
Louisiana
Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
, the
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...
bifurcates into the
Atchafalaya River
The Atchafalaya River ( french: La Rivière Atchafalaya, es, Río Atchafalaya) is a distributary of the Mississippi River and Red River in south central Louisiana in the United States. It flows south, just west of the Mississippi River, and ...
. The Atchafalaya is 137 miles long and is the fifth largest river in
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
, by discharge.
*In
The Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
, the
IJssel
The IJssel (; nds-nl, Iessel(t) ) is a Dutch distributary of the river Rhine that flows northward and ultimately discharges into the IJsselmeer (before the 1932 completion of the Afsluitdijk known as the Zuiderzee), a North Sea natural harbour ...
is a
distributary
A distributary, or a distributary channel, is a stream that branches off and flows away from a main stream channel. Distributaries are a common feature of river deltas. The phenomenon is known as river bifurcation. The opposite of a distributar ...
of the
Rhine
), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source1_coordinates=
, source1_elevation =
, source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein
, source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source2_coordinates=
, so ...
. With a length of around 127 kilometers, it is the longest river to start and end within The Netherlands.
[Kester Freriks, Langs de IJssel, ''natuur en cultuur in de IJsselvallei'' Zutphen: Walburg pers, 2017 (''Dutch book'')] Unlike the Rhine, which flows into the
North Sea
The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian S ...
, it flows into the
IJsselmeer
The IJsselmeer (; fy, Iselmar, nds-nl, Iesselmeer), also known as Lake IJssel in English, is a closed off inland bay in the central Netherlands bordering the provinces of Flevoland, North Holland and Friesland. It covers an area of with an a ...
.
See also
*
Bifurcation lake
A bifurcation lake is a lake that has outflows into two different drainage basins and thus the drainage divide cannot be defined exactly because it is situated in the middle of the lake.
Examples
Vesijako (the name ''Vesijako'' actually means "dr ...
*
Distributary
A distributary, or a distributary channel, is a stream that branches off and flows away from a main stream channel. Distributaries are a common feature of river deltas. The phenomenon is known as river bifurcation. The opposite of a distributar ...
*
List of unusual drainage systems
The following is a list of unusual drainage systems.
List Bifurcation rivers (active)
* The Casiquiare canal – natural waterway connecting the Orinoco and Amazon River, Amazon rivers.
* The Chicago River and Calumet River artificially divert wa ...
*
Interbasin transfer
Interbasin transfer or transbasin diversion are (often hyphenated) terms used to describe man-made conveyance schemes which move water from one river basin where it is available, to another basin where water is less available or could be utilized ...
Notes and references
Notes:
References:
{{DEFAULTSORT:River Bifurcation
Hydrology
Fluvial landforms
Geomorphology
Water streams
Geological processes
*