Lesson plan
Stream capture
, leaving a wind gap basin. The Maumee, flowing north-east, has broken into part of the Wabash River basin, capturing west-flowing streams and reversing their flow direction on entering it. Stream capture, river capture, river piracy or stream piracy is a geomorphological phenomenon occurring when a stream or river drainage system or watershed is diverted from its own bed, and flows down to the bed of a neighbouring stream. This can happen for several reasons, including: *Tectonic earth movements, where the slope of the land changes, and the stream is tipped out of its former course *Natural damming, such as by a landslide or ice sheet *Erosion, either **Headward erosion of one stream valley upwards into another, or **Lateral erosion of a meander through the higher ground dividing the adjacent streams. **Within an area of karst topography, where streams may sink, or flow underground (a sinking or losing stream) and then reappear in a nearby stream valley *Glacier retreat The cause is not always clear. The additional water flowing down the capturing stream may accelerate erosion and encourage the development of a canyon (gorge). The now-dry valley of the original stream is known as a wind gap.
Article summary
, leaving a wind gap basin. The Maumee, flowing north-east, has broken into part of the Wabash River basin, capturing west-flowing streams and reversing their flow direction on entering it. Stream capture, river capture, river piracy or stream piracy is a geomorphological phenomenon occurring when a stream or river drainage system or watershed is diverted from its own bed, and flows down to the bed of a neighbouring stream. This can happen for several reasons, including: *Tectonic earth movements, where the slope of the land changes, and the stream is tipped out of its former course *Natural damming, such as by a landslide or ice sheet *Erosion, either **Headward erosion of one stream valley upwards into another, or **Lateral erosion of a meander through the higher ground dividing the adjacent streams. **Within an area of karst topography, where streams may sink, or flow underground (a sinking or losing stream) and then reappear in a nearby stream valley *Glacier retreat The cause is not always clear. The additional water flowing down the capturing stream may accelerate erosion and encourage the development of a canyon (gorge). The now-dry valley of the original stream is known as a wind gap.
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.