Rivers play a big role in shaping the land around us. They do this through two main actions: erosion and deposition. Let’s break it down:

1. Erosion:

   • Rivers can wear away their own banks and the ground they flow over. This process helps create valleys.
   • In some places, rivers can wear away the land as much as 1 centimeter every year!

2. Deposition:

   • When rivers slow down, they drop off pieces of dirt and rocks. This is called deposition.
   • About 90% of the materials that rivers carry can end up forming features like deltas.

3. Landforms:

   • Some common shapes created by rivers include V-shaped valleys, canyons, and flat areas called floodplains.

In short, rivers change the land by moving and placing materials, creating beautiful and varied landscapes.