There are several criterion to decide the main river and tributary,
1. length of the river
2.Volume of the water in river channel
3. Historical context
4. Catchment area
5. Direction of flow
6. other characteristics (like perennial or seasonal, depth of the channel etc,)
which is the major criterion?
it is found that there is not universal rule to decide which is main river and which is tributary.
The volume and the length of the river will determine the main river and the tributaries are adjoining the river streams with the main river.
All the water points starts naturally head flows to the downwards to the low lands where the tail ends connected. The speed of the water flow of the river could be one of the criteria to be considered for the main river point.
The volume and the length of the river will determine the main river and the tributaries are adjoining the river streams with the main river. Also you should consider the Strahler's Order for your river too.
1. Size of the watershed and discharge:- A high-flow stream or large watershed is usually considered a main river.
2. Length of the stream:- A river can be classified as the main river if it is significantly longer than the other.
3. Geographical context, hydrological assessments, and cultural and local designations have their role in defining rivers as mains and tributaries.
Dear Professor,
You may use the Strahler order to know the main ans secondery river, and the flow direction too. You can make the calculation into Qgis or SagaGIS tools.
Best regards.
HP
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