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<br /> <br />) <br /> <br />There are over 3,249,000 miles of rivers and streams in the <br />United States. These waterways range from only a few feet to over <br />a mile in width. Some are only a few hundred feet in length, but <br />others may stretch for hundreds of miles. Everyday billions of <br />gallons of water flow in the rivers of America. <br /> <br />Notes <br /> <br />Because of their recognized value, many communities have <br />grown along the banks of rivers. It is estimated that there are over <br />20,000 communities with a potential flood threat and approximate- <br />ly one-third of the U.S. population is exposed to some level of <br />flood risk. The continuing and repeated intrusion of artificial <br />structures onto the natural floodplain of a river system can set the <br />stage for tragic losses during high water events. <br /> <br />It is difficult to judge the real size of a river. Normally, the <br />river channel carries the entire water flow. A channel is a natural <br />or artificial watercourse that has a definite bed and banks to <br />confine and conduct the flowing water. <br /> <br /> <br />River <br />Channel <br /> <br /> <br />Since the channel is a well defined geographical feature, many <br />people falsely believe that the size of the river is solely defined by <br />the visible channeL <br /> <br />But every river also has a floodplain. The floodplain is a <br />norm y y area 0 ow an a Jacen 0 a fiver, or 0 er <br />watercourse that is susceptible to inundation during high water <br />events. The boundaries of the floodplain are harder to identify <br />than the river channel and are therefore subject to encroachment. <br />Floodplains and the channel determine the true size of a river. <br /> <br />Floodplain <br /> <br />~I <br /> <br /> <br />I River <br />Channel <br /> <br /> <br />Page 1 - 3 <br />