The Amazon’s headwaters
begin in the Andes amid the remains of the ancient lake. Through a series of tributaries,
the water pours into the Amazon River. The powerful, fast moving portion of the Amazon,
falling 16,000 ft within its first 620 miles, soon gives way to a meandering stream that
wanders across the flat basin.
The varied terrain
allows for three basic types of water that float along the path: Whitewater, clearwater,
and blackwater.
The whitewater rivers are a dirty, yellowish color. The color is caused by large
accumulations of silt and other sediment in the water. The water comes from the Andes,
washing off the soil nutrients from the young rocks.
Clearwater rivers are a blue-green color and they carry little sediment. The highlands
that the clearwater rivers flow from are made of hard rock and not easily eroded.
Finally, the blackwater rivers are the color of dark tea. They have little sediment like
the clearwater rivers because the rocks they wash over are so old that they have been
leached of minerals.
The different types of river meet at various sections along the way, making interesting
patterns as they pass by each other, side by side, with different colors. While it may
seem like a small difference to us, it makes a large difference to the wildlife which
are more often found in whitewater rivers that are full of sediment. |