<p>There's no official distinction between a river and a creek, both of which are categories of streams. As an example, consider <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pine_Creek_(Pennsylvania)" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Pine Creek in Pennsylvania</a> and <a href="https://us.geoview.info/po_river,37946879w" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Po River in Spotsylvania County, Virginia</a>. Pine Creek is 87.2 miles long and has a flow rate that ranges between <a href="https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/01549700/#parameterCode=00060&amp;period=P3650D" rel="nofollow noreferrer">40 to 30000 cubic feet per second</a>. Po River on the other hand is 1.9 miles long and has a row rate that ranges between <a href="https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/01673800/#parameterCode=00060&amp;period=P3650D" rel="nofollow noreferrer">less than 2 to 4000 cubic feet per second</a>. The longer and larger one is called a creek while the shorter and smaller one is called a river.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-30T01:13:59.007Z
2021-03-30T01:13:59.007Z
David Hammen
<p>Does a stream require a certain width or volume before it can be classified as a river, and if so, what is it?</p>

<rivers>
When does a stream become a river?
Jonathan
# When does a stream become a river?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-03-29)

Does a stream require a certain width or volume before it can be classified as a river, and if so, what is it?

**Tags:** rivers


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2021-03-30. Score: 2

There's no official distinction between a river and a creek, both of which are categories of streams. As an example, consider [Pine Creek in Pennsylvania](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pine_Creek_(Pennsylvania)) and [Po River in Spotsylvania County, Virginia](https://us.geoview.info/po_river,37946879w). Pine Creek is 87.2 miles long and has a flow rate that ranges between [40 to 30000 cubic feet per second](https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/01549700/#parameterCode=00060&period=P3650D). Po River on the other hand is 1.9 miles long and has a row rate that ranges between [less than 2 to 4000 cubic feet per second](https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/01673800/#parameterCode=00060&period=P3650D). The longer and larger one is called a creek while the shorter and smaller one is called a river.


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