Rivers: Nature's Highways
Rivers are long bodies of water that FLOW across the land. Unlike lakes, which stay in one place, rivers are always moving! They flow downhill, pulled by gravity.
Rivers start in high places, like mountains. Melting snow and rain collect into small streams. These streams join together and get bigger and bigger until they become rivers. Where a river starts is called its SOURCE.
As a river flows, it carves through the land, creating valleys and canyons. Over millions of years, the Grand Canyon was carved by the Colorado River!
Where a river ends — usually by flowing into an ocean or a large lake — is called its MOUTH. The mouth of a river is often wide and flat.
Rivers are incredibly important for life:
- They provide drinking water for people and animals
- They water crops for farming
- Fish and other animals live in them
- They are used for transportation (boats!)
- They create beautiful landscapes