What is mature rivers?

Question

What is mature rivers?

Answer 1

Rivers are classified as Youthful, Mature and Old rivers.

Mature rivers are rivers with a gradient that is less steep than those of youthful rivers and flows more slowly than youthful rivers. A mature river is fed by many tributaries and has more discharge than a youthful river. Its channels erode wider rather than deeper. (Examples: Mississippi River, St. Lawrence River, Danube River, Ohio River, River Thames)

Answer 2

The above poster is correct in the description of the characteristics but please keep in mind that these large rivers can be at all three stages at the same time but at different locations of the river.

There are spots near the source of the Mississippi that the river is still in the youthful stage. Fast flowing, maybe some rapids, more of a v-shaped valley or river banks and perhaps falls (St. Anthony Falls ).

There are also many areas that the Mississippi winds around back and forth with big bends (meanders), large flood plains, water flows slowly, oxbow lakes can be found as well as levees and deltas. That part of the river is old age.

Then you have the areas of the Mississippi that are straighter with the beginnings of meanders, flows a bit faster than the current in the old age,  the floodplain is narrower - and that's the mature area.

Many of the large well established rivers will have some of all three.