Stream Drainage Patterns

Drainage patterns are largely dependent on the topography meaning the physical characteristics of the land.

They are controlled by the types of rocks or which they flow or lack of folds and faults in the rocks.

Dendritic drainage patterns:  resemble mature trees

•  dendritic drainage patterns form where bedrock is uniform and massive
• these patterns are a function of slope

Radial drainage patterns: form when streams flow from a high central area such as a plateau or volcanic mountain or other type of uplifted feature

•   they resemble the spokes of a wheel

Rectangular drainage patterns: form when bodies of rocks are broken in a series of faults or fractures

Trellis drainage patterns: do not have rounded curves or bends

•   the strange pattern is a type of rectangle pattern which tributary streams are nearly parallel to one another

•   they generally form on softer and then nonresistant rocks which form alternating layers.