<p>There are different types of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_source">river sources</a>, most people might think of <strong>springs</strong>, <strong>melting snow</strong> or <strong>glaciers</strong>, but other types of sources can include <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Poudre_Pass"><strong>wet meadows</strong></a> or <strong>marshland</strong>.</p>

<p>In terms of volume, what is the contribution of each type of source?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-09-18T04:15:16.750Z
Contribution to what?
BHF
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2014-09-18T04:19:30.233Z
@BHF of water, volume. e.g. X% of the Amazon's water is sourced from springs/snow/etc.
congusbongus
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2014-09-18T04:24:00.490Z
It is still unclear to me what you mean.
BHF
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2014-09-18T04:27:31.963Z
@BHF What part in particular are you unsure about? Maybe you can be more specific so I can address them, instead of trying to rephrase the same question. All rivers have a number of different sources, and these sources could be different types. A river might not get all its water from springs, for example. Some could come from melted snow. What I want to know is, out of the total volume of water in the river, what proportion comes from each type.
congusbongus
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2014-09-18T04:30:59.040Z
Do you mean the volume of the rivers? Do you mean the flux at the mouth? The amount of water swelling at the spring? Or something else?
BHF
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2014-09-18T04:36:42.300Z
@BHF any is fine.
congusbongus
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2014-09-18T04:39:08.243Z
Let us [continue this discussion in chat](http://chat.stackexchange.com/rooms/17253/discussion-between-bhf-and-congusbongus).
BHF
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2014-09-22T18:11:34.403Z
It depends of the basin, in mountain zones perhaps the rain is the main contribution. But near the poles maybe the melting snow.
Pau
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2015-01-18T14:22:09.457Z
From the question and the comments - OP seem to assume that any and all river have the same input ratio from various sources. IMO this is badly formulated and / or is impossible to answer. Let's take the St Lawrence taking source in the Great Lakes - water input ratio can be estimated. Then this would be the same ratio than the Nile ? Or any randon proglacial river flowing out from Greenland? There is no answer possible for all rivers - a specific river should be named - this question should be closed
marsisalie
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2015-01-20T06:42:57.743Z
@fre0n maybe OP is talking about global volumetric averages?
Isopycnal Oscillation
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2015-01-20T11:46:14.183Z
@Isopycnal Oscillation possibly global yes it is a possibility I agree. But since far from all stream are characterized for their respective contributions,  a global average would be a rough estimate at best. And streams can be so different fron one another that I hardly see how making this figure would be any useful (imo). Still would be curious if some estimates exist
marsisalie
<hydrology><rivers>
What's the contribution of different types of river sources?
congusbongus
# What's the contribution of different types of river sources?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-09-18)

There are different types of [river sources](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_source), most people might think of **springs**, **melting snow** or **glaciers**, but other types of sources can include [**wet meadows**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Poudre_Pass) or **marshland**.

In terms of volume, what is the contribution of each type of source?

**Tags:** hydrology, rivers

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Contribution to what?  
> **username_0**: @username_1 of water, volume. e.g. X% of the Amazon's water is sourced from springs/snow/etc.  
> **username_1**: It is still unclear to me what you mean.  
> **username_0**: @username_1 What part in particular are you unsure about? Maybe you can be more specific so I can address them, instead of trying to rephrase the same question. All rivers have a number of different sources, and these sources could be different types. A river might not get all its water from springs, for example. Some could come from melted snow. What I want to know is, out of the total volume of water in the river, what proportion comes from each type.  
> **username_1**: Do you mean the volume of the rivers? Do you mean the flux at the mouth? The amount of water swelling at the spring? Or something else?  
> **username_0**: @username_1 any is fine.  
> **username_1**: Let us [continue this discussion in chat](http://chat.stackexchange.com/rooms/17253/discussion-between-bhf-and-username_0).  
> **username_2**: It depends of the basin, in mountain zones perhaps the rain is the main contribution. But near the poles maybe the melting snow.  
> **username_3**: From the question and the comments - OP seem to assume that any and all river have the same input ratio from various sources. IMO this is badly formulated and / or is impossible to answer. Let's take the St Lawrence taking source in the Great Lakes - water input ratio can be estimated. Then this would be the same ratio than the Nile ? Or any randon proglacial river flowing out from Greenland? There is no answer possible for all rivers - a specific river should be named - this question should be closed  
> **username_4**: @fre0n maybe OP is talking about global volumetric averages?  
> **username_3**: @username_4 possibly global yes it is a possibility I agree. But since far from all stream are characterized for their respective contributions,  a global average would be a rough estimate at best. And streams can be so different fron one another that I hardly see how making this figure would be any useful (imo). Still would be curious if some estimates exist  

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## 0 answers

