River deltas form when a river carrying sediment reaches a body of water, such as a lake or an ocean. As rivers flow they pick up small particles,rocks, sand and other items created from weathering and erosion. Erosion is the process in which materials are worn away and transported by natural forces such as wind or water.As a river enters a body of water like an ocean, or a lake it slows down and the sediment will begin to be deposited. Over time the sediment that is deposited will begin to build up and create a landform.This deposition of sediment may create a landform shaped like a triangle which is called a river delta.
It is so named because its triangle shape resembles the Greek letter Delta. Not all deltas are triangle-shaped. A bird-foot delta has few, widely spaced distributaries, making it look like a bird's foot. The Mississippi River forms a bird-foot delta as it empties into the Gulf of Mexico.
Some famous river deltas include,
Colorado river delta
Nile River Delta
In summary, deltas form when rivers pick up sediment caused by weathering and erosion, the river slows down when it enters a body of water and this may create landforms and sometimes they will take the shape of a triangle.
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