Raised river banks formed along the sides of a river's channel; can be natural or man-made flood defenses.

Raised river banks formed along the sides of a river's channel; can be natural or man-made flood defenses.

• A. Flood Plain
• B. Load
• C. Distributaries
• D. Levees

Answer: (D)

Levees are raised banks along the sides of a river channel, formed either naturally by sediment deposited during floods or constructed by people as flood defenses to keep water within the channel. Natural levees develop when floodwaters spill over the banks and heavier sediments settle along the edge, creating elevated ridges parallel to the river. Humans build levees from earth or concrete to protect nearby land from flooding. This distinguishes them from a flood plain, which is the broad, low-lying area adjacent to the river that can flood but is not a raised barrier. Load is the sediment carried by the river, not a barrier, and distributaries are branches of a river, not raised banks.

Levees are raised banks along the sides of a river channel, formed either naturally by sediment deposited during floods or constructed by people as flood defenses to keep water within the channel. Natural levees develop when floodwaters spill over the banks and heavier sediments settle along the edge, creating elevated ridges parallel to the river. Humans build levees from earth or concrete to protect nearby land from flooding. This distinguishes them from a flood plain, which is the broad, low-lying area adjacent to the river that can flood but is not a raised barrier. Load is the sediment carried by the river, not a barrier, and distributaries are branches of a river, not raised banks.