As a stream flows from higher elevations, like in the mountains, towards lower elevations, like the ocean, the work of the stream changes. As the river moves onto flatter ground, the stream erodes the...As a stream flows from higher elevations, like in the mountains, towards lower elevations, like the ocean, the work of the stream changes. As the river moves onto flatter ground, the stream erodes the outer edges of its banks to carve a floodplain, which is a flat level area surrounding the stream channel (figure 5). The higher the elevation, the farther the stream is from where it will reach base level and the more cutting it has to do.
