Mainstem (hydrology)
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A mainstem is defined as the principal river within a given drainage basin, in the case where a number of tributaries discharge into a larger watercourse. Viewed in terms of the Strahler Stream Order system, the mainstem would be the highest order stream amongst the streams in a given drainage basin. The United States National Weather Service considers the mainstem as the principal object of flood forecasting.[1] In detailed analyses of riverine hydrology, mainstem also refers to precise channel mapping of the principal drainage; for example, in a braided channel or system with anabranch elements the mainstem is designated as the principal braid or channel within the overall river.[2]
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[edit] General bibliographic references
- Cushing, Colbert E., Benke, Arthur C., Rivers of North America
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