Mountain river

Mountain rivers are a type of river, which flow in narrow, deep valleys with steep banks, rocky stream beds, and typically accumulated rock debris.

They are characterized by high slope and flow velocity, insignificant depth and frequent rapids and waterfalls.^[1] The stream gradient of a mountain river is normally significantly greater than typical rivers.^[2]^: 16–17

They play an essential role in shaping the surrounding landscape through erosion and deposition, creating deep valleys, gorges, and waterfalls. Waterfalls are known to contribute to the erosion profile of mountain rivers as the water descends from the mountain.^[3]

Pollution by humans has affected mountain rivers and their river ecology, influencing both their bacterial ecosystems^[4] as well as temperature due to climate change.^[5] Mountain rivers are some of the most vulnerable to increases in temperature, which causes drying that affects the water supply for many people.^[6] Since the 2000s, there has been an increase in restoration and rehabilitation of mountain rivers.^[6]

Morphology

The channel of a mountain river often changes chaotically as it progresses downstream,^[2]^: 16 changing width and depth significantly both over space and over time as erosion alters the shape of the stream.

Mountain rivers with high flow, either persistently or transiently as the result of annual summer periods of greater flow, typically carrying large sediment greater than 64 millimeters in diameter.^[2]^: 17 The lack of finer sediment can create exceptionally clear water.^[2]^: 24 While mountain water may appear clean, it can still contain a diverse ecosystem of bacteria and viruses, which must be filtered and disinfected to become potable.^[7]

Human uses

Mountain rivers play a significant role in providing water for agricultural and urban use. As of 2011, up to 80% of US drinking water originated from mountain snow.^[6] Increases in population has spurred settlement into mountainous areas, influencing the local ecology and contributing to deforestation.^[2]^: 8

References

^ "River Systems and Fluvial Landforms – Geology (U.S. National Park Service)". National Park Service. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Wohl, Ellen E. (2001). Virtual rivers : lessons from the mountain rivers of the Colorado front range. New Haven. ISBN 9780300084849. LCCN 00043771.
^ Rothman, Sophie; Scheingross, Joel; McCoy, Scott; Dow, Helen (2023). "Impacts of spontaneous waterfall development on bedrock river longitudinal profile morphology". Journal of Geophysical Research – Earth Surface. doi:10.1029/2022JF007057.
^ Lenart-Boroń, A.; Boroń, P.; Kulik, K.; et al. (28 October 2022). "Anthropogenic pollution gradient along a mountain river affects bacterial community composition and genera with potential pathogenic species". Scientific Reports. 12 18140. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-22642-x. PMC 9614195.
^ Niedrist, G.H. (18 February 2023). "Substantial warming of Central European mountain rivers under climate change". Regional Environmental Change. 23 43. doi:10.1007/s10113-023-02037-y. PMC 9938829.
^ ^a ^b ^c Wohl, Ellen E. (6 December 2011). "Mountain Rivers Revisited". Eos (Interview). 92 (49). Interviewed by Schultz, Colin. doi:10.1029/2011EO490012.
^ "Two Ways to Purify Water". National Park Service. Retrieved 14 August 2025.

[1] "River Systems and Fluvial Landforms – Geology (U.S. National Park Service)". National Park Service. Retrieved 14 July 2024.

[wohlVirtual-2] Wohl, Ellen E. (2001). Virtual rivers : lessons from the mountain rivers of the Colorado front range. New Haven. ISBN 9780300084849. LCCN 00043771.

[3] Rothman, Sophie; Scheingross, Joel; McCoy, Scott; Dow, Helen (2023). "Impacts of spontaneous waterfall development on bedrock river longitudinal profile morphology". Journal of Geophysical Research – Earth Surface. doi:10.1029/2022JF007057.

[4] Lenart-Boroń, A.; Boroń, P.; Kulik, K.; et al. (28 October 2022). "Anthropogenic pollution gradient along a mountain river affects bacterial community composition and genera with potential pathogenic species". Scientific Reports. 12 18140. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-22642-x. PMC 9614195.

[5] Niedrist, G.H. (18 February 2023). "Substantial warming of Central European mountain rivers under climate change". Regional Environmental Change. 23 43. doi:10.1007/s10113-023-02037-y. PMC 9938829.

[wohlInterview-6] Wohl, Ellen E. (6 December 2011). "Mountain Rivers Revisited". Eos (Interview). 92 (49). Interviewed by Schultz, Colin. doi:10.1029/2011EO490012.

[7] "Two Ways to Purify Water". National Park Service. Retrieved 14 August 2025.

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v t e Rivers, streams and springs
Rivers (lists)	Alluvial river Braided river Blackwater river Channel Channel pattern Channel types Confluence Distributary Drainage basin Mountain river Subterranean river River bifurcation River ecosystem River source Tributary
Streams	Arroyo Beck Bourne Burn Chalk stream Coulee Current Stream bed Stream channel Streamflow Stream gradient Stream pool Perennial stream Winterbourne
Springs (list)	Estavelle/Inversac Geyser Holy well Hot spring list list in the US Karst spring list Mineral spring Ponor Rhythmic spring Spring horizon
Sedimentary processes and erosion	Abrasion Anabranch Aggradation Armor Bed load Bed material load Granular flow Debris flow Deposition Dissolved load Downcutting Erosion Headward erosion Knickpoint Palaeochannel Progradation Retrogradation Saltation Secondary flow Sediment transport Suspended load Wash load Water gap
Fluvial landforms	Ait Alluvial fan Antecedent drainage stream Avulsion Bank Bar Bayou Billabong Canyon Chine Cut bank Estuary Floating island Fluvial terrace Gill Gulch Gully Glen Meander scar Mouth bar Oxbow lake Riffle-pool sequence Point bar Ravine Rill River island Rock-cut basin Sedimentary basin Sedimentary structures Strath Thalweg River valley Wadi
Fluvial flow	Helicoidal flow International scale of river difficulty Log jam Meander Plunge pool Rapids Riffle Shoal Stream capture Waterfall list of waterfalls Whitewater
Surface runoff	Agricultural wastewater First flush Urban runoff
Floods and stormwater	100-year flood Crevasse splay Flash flood Flood Urban flooding Non-water flood Flood barrier Flood control Flood forecasting Flood-meadow Floodplain Flood pulse concept Flooded grasslands and savannas Inundation Storm Water Management Model Return period
Point source pollution	Effluent Industrial wastewater Sewage
River measurement and modelling	Baer's law Baseflow Bradshaw model Discharge (hydrology) Drainage density Exner equation Groundwater model Hack's law Hjulström curve Hydrograph Hydrological model Hydrological transport model Infiltration (hydrology) Main stem Playfair's law Relief ratio River Continuum Concept Rouse number Runoff curve number Runoff model (reservoir) Stream gauge Universal Soil Loss Equation WAFLEX Wetted perimeter Volumetric flow rate
River engineering	Aqueduct Balancing lake Canal Check dam Dam Drop structure Daylighting Detention basin Erosion control Fish ladder Floodplain restoration Flume Infiltration basin Leat Levee River morphology Retention basin Revetment Riparian-zone restoration Stream restoration Weir
River sports	Canyoning Fly fishing Rafting River surfing Riverboarding Stone skipping Triathlon Whitewater canoeing Whitewater kayaking Whitewater slalom
Related	Aquifer Aquatic toxicology Body of water Hydraulic civilization Limnology Riparian zone River valley civilization River cruise Sacred waters Surface water Wild river
Rivers by length Rivers by discharge rate Drainage basins Whitewater rivers Flash floods River name etymologies Countries without rivers

Mountain river

Mountain river

Mountain river

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Root Wikipedia Article

Mountain river

Morphology

Human uses

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References