Share This Article
Streams that cut downward from a higher elevation to a lower one are called downcutting streams. These types of streams can be seen all over the world, and have been studied by geologists for decades. However, there is still much disagreement about what is necessary to create these types of watercourses in nature. The youthful stage of valley evolution occurs when there is little or no development around the valley floor. This lack of development creates an environment with low relief, high gradients, and abundant vegetation that has not yet been disturbed by human activity. The characteristics of downcutting streambeds include steep slopes at their edges and a wide variety in channel widths throughout the length of the course they take through Earth’s surface; this diversity in widths is due to the irregularity of the bedrock and soil material at different depths below Earth’s surface. There are many types of downcutting streams, with some being produced by glaciers or seasonal snow, others occurring as a result of rainfalls that exceed topography relief on slopes such as those found high up on mountainsides where they function like small waterfalls, while still other streambeds formed from smaller tributaries that carry sediment into larger ones downstream through which they flow. The youthful stage occurs when there has not been much development around the valley floor; this lack of human activity creates an environment with low relief, high gradients, and abundant vegetation. The characteristics included steep slopes along the edges and the wide variety of channel widths throughout the length of the course they take through Earth’s surface, which is due to irregularity and depth differences in bedrock. There are different types of downcutting streams; some being produced by glaciers or seasonal snow, others occurring as a result of rainfalls that exceed topography relief on slopes such as those found high up on mountainsides where they function like small waterfalls while still other stream beds formed from smaller tributaries carrying sediment into larger ones downstream through which they flow. The youthful stage occurs when there has not been much development around the valley floor creating an environment with low relief, high gradients and abundant vegetation. The characteristics include steep slopes along edges and wide varieties in channel width
