Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
2 Rivers and Streams,
Characteristics
2.1 LET THE CONFUSION BEGIN
First of all, what exactly is a river? And, what is the difference between a river and a stream? Or a
brook? A beck? A creek? A crick? A slough? A bayou? Deinitions of a river will vary but include:
A large natural stream of water (larger than a creek).
A large natural waterway. This is a speciic term in the vernacular for large streams,
stream being the umbrella term used in the scientiic community for all lowing natural
waterways. In the vernacular, stream may be used to refer to smaller streams, as may creek,
run, fork, etc.
A natural stream of water of considerable volume.
A large stream.
A large natural body of water that lows into another body of water.
So, how big is “larger than a natural stream?” For example, compared to the Mississippi River,
when does a river become a stream? What is a “natural” stream? For example, if a river or a stream
receives most of its lows from industries or waste discharge, is it a river? Are point source dis-
charges “natural?” Are regulated rivers or ephemeral rivers (that only low for short periods follow-
ing rainfall events) in the desert southwest really rivers (e.g., Figure 2.1)?
For that matter, what is the difference between a “creek” and a “crick?” Perhaps Patrick F. McManus
in his topic A Fine and Pleasant Misery (1981) provided a itting description (Figures 2.2 and 2.3):
“There is much in the world today concerning creeks and cricks. Many otherwise well-informed people
live out their lives under the impression that a crick is a creek mispronounced. Nothing could be farther
from the truth. A crick is a distinctly separate entity from a creek, and it should be recognized as such.
First of all a creek has none of the raucous, vulgar, freewheeling character of a crick. If they were
people creeks would wear tuxedos and amuse themselves with the ballet, opera and witty conversa-
tion; cricks would go around in their undershirts and amuse themselves with the Saturday-night ights,
taverns, and humorous belching. Creeks would perspire and cricks sweat. Creeks would smoke pipes;
cricks chew and spit.
Creeks tend to be pristine. They meander regally through high mountain meadows, cascade down
dainty waterfalls, pause in placid pools, ripple over beds of gleaming gravel and polished rock. They
sparkle in the sunlight. Deer and poets sip from creeks, and images of eagles wheel upon the surface
of their mirrored depths.
Cricks, on the other hand, shufle through cow pastures, slog through beaver dams, gurgle through
culverts, ooze through barnyards, sprawl under sagging bridges, and when not otherwise occupied,
thrash itfully on their beds of quicksand and clay.
Cows should perhaps be credited with giving cricks their most pronounced characteristic. In defer-
ence to the young and the few ladies left in the world whose sensitivities might be offended, I forgo a
detailed description of this characteristic. Let me say only that to a cow the whole universe is a bath-
room, and it makes no exception of cricks. A single cow equipped only with determination and fairly
good aim can in a matter of hours transform a perfectly good creek into a crick.” (McManus, 1981)
 
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