Lesson plan
Stream capacity
The capacity of a stream or river is the total amount of sediment a stream is able to transport. This measurement usually corresponds to the stream power and the width-integrated bed shear stress across section along a stream profile. Note that capacity is greater than the load, which is the amount of sediment carried by the stream. Load is generally limited by the sediment available upstream. Stream capacity is often mistaken for the stream competency, which is a measure of the maximum size of the particles that the stream can transport, or for the total load, which is the load that a stream carries. The sediment transported by the stream depends upon the intensity of rainfall and land characteristics.
Article summary
The capacity of a stream or river is the total amount of sediment a stream is able to transport. This measurement usually corresponds to the stream power and the width-integrated bed shear stress across section along a stream profile. Note that capacity is greater than the load, which is the amount of sediment carried by the stream. Load is generally limited by the sediment available upstream. Stream capacity is often mistaken for the stream competency, which is a measure of the maximum size of the particles that the stream can transport, or for the total load, which is the load that a stream carries. The sediment transported by the stream depends upon the intensity of rainfall and land characteristics.
Key claims
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.