How do rivers transport material downstream?
Rivers transport material upstream to downstream in 4 main ways:
- Traction – Where the load rolls along the bedrock.
- Saltation – The load bounces along the bedrock
- Suspension – The rocks are carried by the water
- Solution – The load dissoles into the water (like sugar in tea)
There is also a 5th way where load can be carried down on the surface of the rivers, called Flotation.
