What is the land drained by a river and its tributaries called?

What is the land drained by a river and its tributaries called?

• A. Flood Plain
• B. Drainage Basin
• C. Meander
• D. Levees

Answer: (B)

Understanding how water moves through river systems helps here. The land that drains into a particular river and its tributaries is called the drainage basin, also known as a catchment. This area collects rainfall and channels it into the river network, with all water eventually reaching the main river. The boundary of this area is the watershed, where runoff would flow into a different river system. By contrast, a flood plain is the flat land that can flood alongside the channel, a meander is a bend in the river, and levees are raised banks designed to keep water in or out. So the drainage basin is the term that best describes the whole area contributing water to that river system.

Understanding how water moves through river systems helps here. The land that drains into a particular river and its tributaries is called the drainage basin, also known as a catchment. This area collects rainfall and channels it into the river network, with all water eventually reaching the main river. The boundary of this area is the watershed, where runoff would flow into a different river system. By contrast, a flood plain is the flat land that can flood alongside the channel, a meander is a bend in the river, and levees are raised banks designed to keep water in or out. So the drainage basin is the term that best describes the whole area contributing water to that river system.