Distributary

A channel that branches from a river and carries water and sediment away from its main course, commonly within a delta.

River bifurcation: The division of a river channel into two or more downstream branches. A distributary forms where a river divides its flow among downstream channels.
River: A natural flowing body of water that moves across land toward a sea, lake, or another river. A distributary is one downstream part of a river system.
Delta lobe: A distinct projection of a delta built by a river channel or network at a particular time. Distributaries feed sediment to lobes that extend the delta into open water.
Tributary: A stream or river that flows into a larger stream or river. A tributary adds water to a main channel; a distributary carries water away from one.
Avulsion: The rapid abandonment of a river channel in favor of a new course across its floodplain or delta. Avulsions can create new distributaries and redirect water across a delta.
River delta: A depositional landform formed where a river enters a standing body of water and loses sediment. Deltas commonly contain networks of distributaries spreading water across deposited land.
Mississippi River Delta: The deltaic region where the Mississippi River meets the Gulf of Mexico. Its branching channels illustrate how distributaries build and reorganize a large delta.
Anabranch: A channel that branches from a river and rejoins it downstream. Unlike a distributary, an anabranch returns its flow to the same river.
Sediment transport: The movement of mineral particles by flowing water, wind, ice, or gravity. Distributaries carry sediment into delta plains and coastal waters.
Channel (geography): A landform that confines flowing water within defined banks or boundaries. A distributary is a specific kind of channel.

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