A Valley Shaped by Water
A river can change a landscape without making much noise about it. Along the Sugarlands Valley Nature Trail in Tennessee, moving water, forest growth, and traces of past homes offer clues to how a valley changes over time.
The trail is in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, near the West Prong of the Little Pigeon River. Its paved loop is about half a mile long. With relatively gentle grades, it offers many visitors a way to explore the valley without climbing a steep mountain trail. The route passes through woods and near the river, where visitors can listen to water moving over rocks.
How water shapes the valley
Rain that falls on the surrounding mountains flows downhill into small streams. Those streams join larger waterways, including the West Prong. As water travels, it can pick up loose soil and small pieces of rock. This process is called erosion. During periods of strong flow, water can carry more material than it can when it moves slowly.
- landscape:
- The visible features of an area of land.
- grades:
- The slopes or steepness of parts of a path.
- material:
- The substance or pieces that something is made of.
- community:
- A group of people who live in the same area.
- formerly:
- In the past; before now.
- obstacle:
- Something that makes movement or progress more difficult.
- preserve:
- To protect something so it remains for the future.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1How do erosion and deposition work together to change the valley?
- 2Why can a strong storm change the riverbank more quickly than a period of slow flow?
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About this explanatory article passage for Upper Elementary
“A Valley Shaped by Water” is a explanatory article reading passage about River valleys, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 3 minutes to read (490 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.