Delta Fun Facts That Will Teach You Basic Hydrology!

Wondering what sort of delta we are talking about in this article?

It is not the math variable or the type of data encoding. The Earth consists of several water bodies and areas of land which break and join to make different islands, deltas, and estuaries.

Deltas are wetlands that are formed when rivers become empty and water sediments flow into another water body such as oceans, lakes, streams, gulf, or rivers. The term 'delta' comes from the Greek alphabet, delta which is in a triangular shape. The Nile delta forms a triangle shape while emptying into the Mediterranean Sea. In a delta, the heavier sediment settles first while the finer material gets deposited at the end of the river mouth. This material is known as silt or alluvium. A delta is divided into parts, and these are subaqueous and subaerial. The subaqueous part is underwater while the subaerial part is the are above water. Deltas are important wetland habitats as plants such as lilies, hibiscus, and herbs used for traditional medicine also grow in delta regions.

You might want to learn more about other fun facts about common things around you. Go ahead and and find what the oldest river in the world is and the history of the Mississippi River. 

Mississippi River Delta Fun Facts

Most deltas in the United States are formed by the Mississippi River Delta in Louisiana. These wetlands range from interior forested wetlands to barrier wetlands in the Gulf of Mexico. Most of the population of Louisiana lives near coastal areas and their economy depends on the coast and these wetlands.

The coast provides the opportunity for commercial fisheries to be successful and the wetlands help to draw bird watchers, hunters, and other tourists. People are able to navigate the Mississippi River Delta, so it is an important route for shipping and transit. Offshore oil factories and refineries also contribute to the economy. The wetlands of the Mississippi River Delta are extremely valuable as they provide seafood and also improve water quality by filtering out pollution. The Mississippi Delta also controls erosion and prevents storm surges.

These river deltas are home to various sorts of animals and also migratory animals. Even though the Mississippi Delta is important, Louisiana is currently losing 24 sq mi (39 sq mi) of wetlands every year. This loss is happening because of natural causes such as wave erosion, but also humans have contributed to it. The construction of several dams, channels, and canals have also led to this decline. If this is not controlled then by 2040, the Mississippi Delta will be losing almost 33 sq mi (53 sq km) of wetlands every year!

Human activities have caused sediment in the Mississippi Delta to go down the river's channel and flow into the Gulf of Mexico. Not only has this disrupted the natural resources but also has destroyed these fertile wetlands. Hurricane Katrina was also a wake-up call for people as the presence of these wetlands would have helped slow down the storm between New Orleans and the Gulf of Mexico.

What is a river delta?

Not all rivers can form deltas. River deltas are only formed when the speed a river flows is slow and steady so that silt can form. The are two main types of deltas based on the influences that create the landform and their shape. There are four further types of deltas and these are wave dominated, tide dominated, Gilbert deltas, and estuarine deltas.

In a wave dominated delta, the delta is formed depending on the flow of waves. Some examples of deltas formed by waves are the Nile delta which is shaped by the waves from the Mediterranean Sea and the Senegal delta shaped by the waves from the Atlantic Ocean.

Tide dominated deltas are formed on the basis of low tides and high tides. The Brahmaputra and Ganges delta in India and Bangladesh is the largest river delta in the world and is an example of a tide dominated delta.

Gilbert deltas form when the sediment deposited is large and coarse. These deltas form when the water from a river enters freshwater lakes. The first Gilbert delta was discovered by the geologist Grove Karl Gilbert, who labelled the ancient Lake Bonneville to be a gilbert delta. Utah's Great Salt Lake is what is left of Lake Bonneville.

Estuarine deltas form when rivers don't empty into the ocean but rather form estuaries. The Yellow River is an example of an estuarine delta which is an enclosed wetland with brackish water.

The term 'delta' came from the Greek alphabet but not all deltas are triangular in shape. The cuspate delta is tooth-shaped as stronger waves make it more pointed. The Tibet River is an example of a cuspate delta. A bird foot delta is named this because of the distributaries that are shaped like a bird's foot. The Mississippi River is an example of a bird's foot delta.

In the case of an inverted delta, the distributary network is inland and a single stream flows into the ocean, sea, or other smaller rivers. The Sacramento San-Joaquin river delta is an example of an inverted delta.

What type of delta does the Amazon River have?

The Amazon River delta is formed by the Amazon River and the Tocantins River in northern South America.

Lots of sediment builds up in the Amazon River every year, but the subaerial part near the river mouth is so small that it doesn't fit the definition of a delta.

This means that the Amazon River is not a typical. delta. It forms a subaqueous delta at its mouth. The subaerial part only contains mud and sand which does not give this large river a beneficial delta.

What type of delta does the Red River have?

The Red River delta is the second largest delta in Vietnam and is very important for the economy. It helps the economy, foreign affairs, defence, and industry. This delta is also used as a highway and makes travel between Vietnam and China quicker.

The Red River delta became known for its flooding in 1971, which killed almost 500 people in the surrounding areas and caused a lot of damage. This river delta takes about 5% of Vietnam's area, but about 20% of the population live near this river. Vietnamese people depend on agriculture in this area due to the fertile land that the delta creates. The area around the delta is dedicated to rice cultivation. This region is also a popular tourist spot.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked these delta fun facts then why not take a look at facts about the Nile River, or facts about the Amazon River?