river basin

American  

noun

Physical Geography.

1. the area of land drained by a river and its branches.

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river basin Scientific  

1. The land area that is drained by a river and its tributaries. The Mississippi River basin, for example, is a vast area that covers much of the central United States from the central ranges of the Appalachian Mountains in the east to the eastern ranges of the Rocky Mountains in the west, funneling toward its delta in southern Louisiana and emptying into the Gulf of Mexico.

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Etymology

Origin of river basin

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

He pointed the finger at Spain's Aemet weather agency as well as the independent Júcar authority that looks after the river basin and water resources.

From BBC • Nov. 15, 2024

The trailhead starts at San Pascual Stables and journeys along the concrete river basin, with a few short trails that veer off from the main path.

From Los Angeles Times • May 30, 2024

Neighbouring Kiambu county, parts of which are on a river basin and have been affected by the floods, has also announced it will take measures to mitigate the situation, including building inspections.

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2024

This is because every river basin has its own special features.

From Science Daily • Mar. 27, 2024

Project number one: we’ll be making a relief map of the Tigris and Euphrates river basin.

From "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina