Some features found along the course of a river are:Potholes,Floodplains,Leeves and swamps.

How are these features formed:

Potholes>are formed by corrasion. Pebbles carried by the river are swirled around on the river bed. This action erodes the rock on the river bed forming potholes. Over time, they may widen and join with other potholes to form larger potholes, and the whole river bed is deepened.

Floodplains>are formed in two ways: by erosion; and by aggradation.
An erosional floodplain is created as a stream cuts deeper into its channel and laterally into its banks.
A stream with a steep gradient(meaning:the degree of inclination,or the rate of ascent or descent,in a highway,railroad,etc.) will tend to downcut faster than it causes lateral erosion, resulting in a deep, narrow channel with little or no floodplain at all.

Levees>can be natural or man-made. A natural levee is formed when sediment settles on the river bank, raising the level of the land around the river.


River terraces>part of an old flood plain that has been left perched on the side of a river valley. It results from rejuvenation, a renewal in the erosive powers of a river. River terraces may be fertile and are often used for farming. They are also commonly chosen as sites for human settlement because they are safe from flooding.

Sources:http://library.thinkquest.org/28022/trail/pothole.html
http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/f/floodplain.htm
http://architecture.about.com/od/damsresevoirs/g/levee.htm
http://www.talktalk.co.uk/reference/encyclopaedia/hutchinson/m0035442.html

~Nicole Mui~