Is a confluence of more than two rivers plausible?
Two rivers converging into one is obviously extremely common, most often when one is clearly dominant over the other (whereby the lesser one is the 'tributary' of the greater) but also sometimes where the two rivers are roughly equally-sized. I know it is also possible for rivers to divide, although this is less common.
Is it hydrologically/geologically plausible to have a single point that is the confluence of more than two rivers? Would such a configuration be stable?
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1 answer
Very plausible.
One example is the Feather River of California. The West Branch and Middle Fork combine at the top of Lake Oroville, which is a long skinny lake running north/south. At the bottom of the lake, the Middle Fork and South Fork also converge.
The American River, just south of Feather in California, has multiple branches that converge in various places. Depending on how you count it, I think several spots qualify. In particular though, look at the North Fork.
Look for mountainous areas because this restricts how and where the rivers can flow and makes it more likely for branches to come together.
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