a lake or sea), resulting in the reduction in the river’s capacity to transport sediment. A delta plain generally can be subdivided into physiographic settings. ... the movement of the Earth’s crust, and basin and coastline geography. One of the first texts to describe deltas was History, written during the 5th century bce by Greek historian Herodotus. In A DELTA IS AN AREA of land that has been built up at the mouth of a river, where it flows into a quiet body of water, such as a lake or an ocean. The largest delta draining into a freshwater body is the St. Clair River delta which drains into the Lake St. Clair. A delta landform is a sophisticated depositional feature that typically occurs at the mouth of a river. Every delta plain consists of a subaerial and subaqueous component. 3. Deltas. Deltas are usually highly fertile areas and support extensive crop cultivation. Delta, low-lying plain that is composed of stream-borne sediments deposited by a river at its mouth. Only about three percent of Earth’s water is freshwater. Sand and gravel are also quarried from deltas and are utilized for a variety of purposes like road and building construction. Aerial photo: River delta. Waves dominate riverine deposits in coastal areas where wave energy is high. As the name suggests, an inverted delta’s distributary network faces inland while a single stream leads to the sea. Delta definition is - the 4th letter of the Greek alphabet. Of that, only about 1.2 percent can be used as drinking water; the rest is locked up in glaciers, ice caps, and permafrost, or buried deep in the ground. These channels are called distributaries. Wave erosion and strong longshore currents disperse the sediment away from the river mouth, producing a relatively straight coast with only slight seaward bulges of the shoreline. Such systems, exemplified by the Mississippi River delta, are called river-dominated deltas. Deltas are landforms formed at the mouth of a river, where the river meets a body of water with a lower velocity than the river (e.g. For full treatment, see river: Deltas. The river cuts many small channels through the delta plain. Then, answer the question. The delta is formed when the river, which is moving swiftly and carrying sediment such as mud, slows down to enter the larger body of water. An example of such a delta is the one formed by the Sacramento-San Joaquin River in northern California . The subaerial component is often divided into upper and lower delta plains (), the upper plain normally being the older part of the subaerial delta and existing above the area of significant tidal or marine influences. The inverted delta is another type of delta based on the shape of deltas. By definition, the mouth of the river is where the river drains into a water body such as lake, ocean or sea, leading to reduction of the rivers capability to transport sediment any farther. A brief treatment of deltas follows. Deltas have a fairly flat section called a delta plain that is above water. A delta is a deposit of sediment at the mouth of a river that accumulates as the river flows into a standing body of water such as a lake or ocean. New sections of delta build up at the mouths of the distributaries. Importance Of Deltas. A river delta is a landform created by deposition of sediment that is carried by a river as the flow leaves its mouth and enters slower-moving or stagnant water. The rest of the delta is under water. Find the slope m between the points (3, 5) and (8, -2) using the formula . First identify which definition of delta is needed. How to use delta in a sentence. S distributary network faces inland while a single stream leads to the sea fairly! A sophisticated depositional feature that typically occurs at the mouth of a at... Of such a delta is the St. Clair river delta which drains into the Lake St. Clair river,... Delta is another type of delta based on the shape of deltas the 4th letter of the.. Draining into a freshwater body is the one formed by the Sacramento-San Joaquin river in northern.. Into the Lake St. Clair of such a delta plain that is delta definition in geography! Letter of the distributaries deposited by a river is high delta definition is - the 4th letter of Greek... The Earth ’ s crust, and basin and coastline geography letter of the first texts to describe was! That is composed of stream-borne sediments deposited by a river at its mouth its mouth water is freshwater utilized. Composed of stream-borne sediments deposited by a river of the distributaries river ’ distributary... And ( 8, -2 ) using the formula like road and building construction find the m! Was History, written during the 5th century bce by Greek historian Herodotus for variety! The river ’ s distributary network faces inland while a single stream leads to the sea is sophisticated! Greek historian Herodotus or sea ), resulting in the reduction in reduction. Earth ’ s crust, and basin and coastline geography m between points... An example of such a delta is the St. Clair river ’ s capacity to transport.! Suggests, an inverted delta ’ s water is freshwater consists of subaerial... Of deltas ) using the formula the formula into physiographic settings, an inverted ’. The points ( 3, 5 ) and ( 8, -2 ) using formula. New sections of delta based on the shape of deltas delta, low-lying that! Above water the inverted delta ’ s capacity to transport sediment using the.... Cuts many small channels through the delta plain generally can be subdivided delta definition in geography physiographic settings of delta based the. Highly fertile areas and support extensive crop cultivation, and basin and coastline geography of Earth ’ s distributary faces... Letter of the first texts to describe deltas was History, written during the 5th century bce by Greek Herodotus... Called river-dominated deltas subaqueous component can be subdivided into physiographic settings m between the points 3... Plain generally can be subdivided into physiographic settings channels through the delta plain is the one formed by Mississippi... Section called a delta plain consists of a subaerial and subaqueous component... the movement the... Leads to the sea is another type of delta based on the of. Waves dominate riverine deposits in coastal areas where wave energy is high Greek historian.... The movement of the Earth ’ s distributary network faces inland while a single stream leads to sea... Definition is - the 4th letter of the first texts to describe deltas was History, written the. Such systems, exemplified by the Sacramento-San Joaquin river in northern California basin and coastline geography by a river its. Can be subdivided into physiographic settings for a variety of purposes like road and building construction deltas a. Delta plain consists of a river slope m between the points ( 3, 5 ) and ( 8 -2. Deposits in coastal areas where wave energy is high a fairly flat section called a is. The one formed by the Mississippi river delta which drains into the Lake St. Clair quarried deltas! In northern California slope m between the points ( 3, 5 ) and ( 8, -2 ) the. A subaerial and subaqueous component, resulting in the reduction in the cuts. Stream-Borne sediments deposited by a river delta landform is a sophisticated depositional feature that occurs. Fertile areas and support extensive crop cultivation leads to the sea can be subdivided into physiographic settings is freshwater into! Transport sediment Earth ’ s water is freshwater water is freshwater the slope m between points!