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how do rivers have fresh water i just dont get it.
wouldnt the oceans saltwater just flow into a stream or something?

2007-06-30 16:38:01 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics Earth Sciences & Geology

4 answers

Rivers are at a higher elevation than the ocean and only replenished by rainfall. Water will always flow from a higher elevation to a lower elevation so it will always flow to an ocean.

Of course when you get to near where the river and the sea meet some salt mixes with the fresh water.

2007-06-30 17:00:02 · answer #1 · answered by crimsonedge 5 · 1 0

Rainwater and snow melt are not salt water to start with. This is what originally starts the rivers and streams as they flow down hill gradually to larger streams and rivers. Eventually those rivers and streams do enter the ocen, but the force is such that there isn't a lot in the way of a chance for the salt water (which is also more dense, I think) to mix up the stream. In larger deltas where there is more room and less flow there is some mixing, but it is always pushed back out by the force of the river.

2007-07-01 02:18:03 · answer #2 · answered by An S 4 · 1 0

Rivers do have salt water if the river/stream flows into the ocean, but only at the mouths of them, or a few miles up if the tide is in. When the tide goes out the flow of the river pushes the salt water outward for the most part.
Streams flow into rivers, so no salt water is present at the confluence of stream to river.
There are large rivers in the world which have deltas.
isis1037@yahoo.com

2007-06-30 18:52:03 · answer #3 · answered by isis1037 4 · 0 0

well when you see the water cycle when it rains the rivers fill up. rivers drain into the ocean. oceans don't flow into rivers. however rivers closer to the ocean have mixed salt and fresh water and closer to the ocean becomes saltwater.

2007-06-30 16:56:58 · answer #4 · answered by Kristenite’s Back! 7 · 1 0

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