River vs Tributary: Know the Differences, Meaning, Features and Examples
Do you know how river and tributary differ from each other? Learn how they flow, their sources and how tributary adds to the river
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Rivers and tributaries are closely related to the parts of the same drainage system however these terms are usually mixed up. Understanding the differences between the two is quite important to increase general understanding as well as for various competitive exams.
That is why this article explains the meaning, features and examples of both of them along with simple comparison.
Differences Between River and Tributary
Here are the major differences between river and tributary:
| Definition | A large natural watercourse that flows to a sea, ocean, or lake | A smaller stream or river that flows into a bigger river |
| Size | Usually large | Usually smaller than the main river |
| Water Flow | Flows independently from the source to mouth | Flows only until it meets the main river |
| Source | Glaciers, hills, springs, or rainfall | Rainfall, springs, or smaller hill streams |
| Mouth | Sea, ocean, or lake | The main river |
| Importance | Main source of water supply for a whole basin | Increases the volume and reach of the main river |
| Navigation | Often used for shipping and large-scale transport | Sometimes navigable, but usually used only smaller for transport |
| Number | One main river per drainage system | A river can have many tributaries |
| Examples | Ganga, and Nile | Yamuna, and Chambal |
What is a River?
A river is a large stream of fresh water that flows downhill under a fixed channel and it flows until it meets another lake or a sea. The majority of the rivers around the world receive their water through precipitation and melting snow and ice.
Further, the flow of a river is usually defined by the intensity of rainfall, the slope and terrain as well as the friction.
Quick Overview of Rivers
| Feature | Details |
| Definition | A large natural stream of water that flows through a fixed channel |
| Starts From | A source for example glaciers, springs, or hills |
| Ends At | A sea, ocean, or lake |
| Carries Water To | Larger water bodies and surrounding land |
| Examples | Ganga, Nile, Amazon, Mississippi, Yangtze |
What is a Tributary?
A tributary is a freshwater stream that feeds into a larger stream of water, river or any other body of water. The larger part where a tributary flows into is known as mainstem or parent river. The point where the tributary meets a river is called confluence.
The major difference between tributary and a river is that a tributary doesn’t directly flow into an ocean or sea.
Quick Overview of Tributaries
| Feature | Details |
| Definition | A smaller stream of water that flows into a bigger river |
| Joins | The main river at a point known as the confluence |
| Ends At | It ends by merging into the main river, not the sea |
| Examples | Yamuna, Chambal, which are the tributaries of the Ganga river |
How Does a Tributary Join a River?
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The point where a tributary meets a river is known as the confluence and this is the exact spot where two streams of water convert into one.
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When the tributary joins a river, its water mixes with the water of the main river and that is why the direction of the main river might shift a little.
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A tributary is also the major contributor of sediment, and energy to the main channel. This simply means that it adds sand, and small rocks to the main river.
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When a tributary finally reaches the river then the main river carries more water than before. This is known as an increase in discharge.
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