Erosional Development of Streams: Quantitative Physiographic Factors

Abstract

In spite of the general renaissance of science in the present century, physiography still remains largely qualitative. Streams and their drainage basins are described as youthful, mature, old, poorly drained or well drained, without specific information as to how, how much or why. An effort will be made in the present paper to show how the problem of erosional morphology may be approached quantitatively. Drainage-basin development by ground-water erosion, highly important as it is, will, however, not be considered, and the discussion of drainage development by surface run-off will mainly be confined to processes occurring outside of stream channels. Nor will the equally important phase of the subject, channel development, be considered in detail.