# Confluence

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{{short description|Meeting of two or more bodies of flowing water}}
{{other uses}}
[[File:Devprayag - Confluence of Bhagirathi and Alaknanda.JPG|thumb|Confluence of the [Bhagirathi](/source/Bhagirathi) and [Alaknanda](/source/Alaknanda) Rivers at the [Ganges](/source/Ganges) in [Devprayag](/source/Devprayag), India]]
thumb|The same confluence viewed from upstream at a different time; note the swirl of sediment from the Alaknanda River

In [geography](/source/geography), a '''confluence''' (also ''conflux'') occurs where two or more [watercourse](/source/watercourse)s join to form a single [channel](/source/channel_(geography)).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conflux|title=Conflux – Definition of conflux by Merriam-Webster|work=merriam-webster.com |date=4 August 2025 }}</ref> A confluence can occur in several configurations: at the point where a [tributary](/source/tributary) joins a larger [river](/source/river) ([main stem](/source/main_stem)); or where two streams meet to become the [source](/source/river_source) of a river of a new name (such as the confluence of the [Monongahela](/source/Monongahela_River) and [Allegheny](/source/Allegheny_River) rivers, forming the [Ohio River](/source/Ohio_River)); or where two separated channels of a river (forming a [river island](/source/river_island)) rejoin downstream from their point of separation. 

==Scientific study==
[[File:Mississippi near St-Louis normally and in flood 93.jpg|thumb|Confluence of the [Mississippi](/source/Mississippi_River), [Missouri](/source/Missouri_River), and [Illinois](/source/Illinois_River) rivers with normal water levels in 1991, and during a flood in 1993]]
Confluences are studied in a variety of sciences. [Hydrology](/source/Hydrology) studies the characteristic flow patterns of confluences and how they give rise to patterns of erosion, bars, and scour pools.<ref>A widely cited work is James L. Best (1986) The morphology of river channel confluences.  ''Progress in Physical Geography'' 10:157–174.  For work citing Best, see [https://scholar.google.com/scholar?cites=16553134579381758779&as_sdt=2005&sciodt=0,5&hl=en].</ref> The water flows and their consequences are often studied with [mathematical model](/source/mathematical_model)s.<ref>A recent contribution with review of earlier work is Laurent Schindfessel, Stéphan Creëlle and Tom De Mulder (2015) "Flow patterns in an open channel confluence with increasingly dominant tributary inflow," ''Water'' 7: 4724–4751; available on line.</ref> Confluences are relevant to the distribution of living organisms (i.e., [ecology](/source/ecology)) as well; "the general pattern [downstream of confluences] of increasing stream flow and decreasing slopes drives a corresponding shift in habitat characteristics."<ref>Quoted from Beechie et al. (2012), who cite earlier work.  Tim Beechie, John S. Richardson, [Angela M. Gurnell](/source/Angela_Gurnell), and Junjiro Negishi (2012) "Watershed processes, human impacts, and process-based restoration." In Philip Roni and Tim Beechie (eds.) (2012) ''Stream and Watershed Restoration: A Guide to Restoring Riverine Processes and Habitats'', John Wiley & Sons. Excerpts available on line at Google Books.</ref>

Another science relevant to the study of confluences is [chemistry](/source/chemistry), because sometimes the mixing of the waters of two streams triggers a chemical reaction, particularly in a polluted stream. The [United States Geological Survey](/source/United_States_Geological_Survey) gives an example:  "chemical changes occur when a stream contaminated with [acid mine drainage](/source/acid_mine_drainage) combines with a stream with near-neutral [pH](/source/pH) water; these reactions happen very rapidly and influence the subsequent transport of metals downstream of the mixing zone."<ref>U.S. Geological Survey, "How do contaminants mix at the confluence of two streams?", on line at [https://toxics.usgs.gov/highlights/contaminants_mix.html] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210328022023/https://toxics.usgs.gov/highlights/contaminants_mix.html|date=2021-03-28}}.</ref>

A natural phenomenon at confluences that is obvious even to casual observers is a difference in color between the two streams; see images in this article for several examples. According to Lynch, "the color of each river is determined by many things: type and amount of vegetation in the watershed, geological properties, dissolved chemicals, [sediments](/source/Sediment_transport) and biologic content – usually [algae](/source/algae)." Lynch also notes that color differences can persist for miles downstream before they finally blend completely.<ref>David Lynch (2014) "The Confluence of Rivers"; Earth Science Picture of the Day, at [http://epod.usra.edu/blog/2014/01/the-confluence-of-rivers.html].</ref>

===Flow zones===
thumb|upright=1.8|Hydrodynamic features of a river/flume confluence can be separated into six identifiable distinct zones, also called confluence flow zones.
Hydrodynamic behaviour of flow in a confluence can be divided into six distinct features<ref>{{Cite book|last=Best|first=James L.|pages=27–35|doi=10.2110/pec.87.39.0027|title = Recent Developments in Fluvial Sedimentology|year = 1987|isbn = 978-0-918985-67-5|chapter = Flow Dynamics at River Channel Confluences: Implications for Sediment Transport and Bed Morphology}}</ref> which are commonly called confluence flow zones (CFZ). These include

# Stagnation zone
# Flow deflection zone
# Flow separation zone / recirculation zone
# Maximum velocity zone
# Flow recovery zone
# Shear layers

===Engineering===
thumb|Arroyo J. Benítez transition structure within the eastern abutment of the river Monterroso culvert network
The broader field of engineering encompasses a vast assortment of subjects which concern confluences.

In [hydraulic civil engineering](/source/Hydraulic_engineering), where two or more underground [culverted / artificially buried watercourses](/source/Culvert) intersect, great attention should be paid to the hydrodynamic aspects of the system to ensure the longevity and efficiency of the structure.

Engineers must design these systems with consideration of factors that ensure the discharge point is structurally stable as the entrance of the lateral culvert into the main structure may compromise the stability of the structure due to the lack of support at the discharge; this often constitutes additional supports in the form of structural bracing.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Moore |first1=I.D. |url=https://www.nap.edu/catalog/22748 |title=Structural Design of Culvert Joints |last2=García |first2=D. Becerril |last3=Sezen |first3=H. |last4=Sheldon |first4=T. |date=2012-07-20 |publisher=Transportation Research Board |others=National Cooperative Highway Research Program, Transportation Research Board, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine |isbn=978-0-309-43495-9 |location=Washington, D.C.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-22 |title=The Structural Design of Reinforced Concrete Box Culverts |url=https://www.geniusjournals.org/index.php/ejet/article/download/426/371 |access-date=2024-03-22}}</ref> The velocities and hydraulic efficiencies should be meticulously calculated and can be altered by integrating different combinations of geometries, components such a gradients, cascades and an adequate junction angle which is sympathetic to the direction of the watercourse's flow to minimise turbulent flow, maximise evacuation velocity and to ultimately maximise hydraulic efficiency.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Flow structure of the confluence between an open channel and a pipe. |url=https://iwaponline.com/wst/article/88/10/2646/98779/Flow-structure-of-the-confluence-between-an-open# |access-date=2024-03-22 |journal=Water Science & Technology|date=2023 |doi=10.2166/wst.2023.367 |last1=Li |first1=Zhiwei |last2=Wang |first2=Xuefeng |last3=Wang |first3=Feifei |last4=Sun |first4=Bin |last5=Chen |first5=Shanshan |volume=88 |issue=10 |pages=2646–2660 |pmid=38017683 |bibcode=2023WSTec..88.2646L |doi-access=free }}</ref>

==Cultural and societal significance==
[[File:Point State Park fountain.jpg|thumb|The fountain at [Point State Park](/source/Point_State_Park) in [Pittsburgh](/source/Pittsburgh), at the apex of the confluence of the [Allegheny](/source/Allegheny_River) (top) and the [Monongahela](/source/Monongahela_River)]]

Since rivers often serve as political boundaries, confluences sometimes demarcate three abutting polities, such as nations, states, or provinces, forming a [tripoint](/source/tripoint). Various examples are listed below.

Many major cities, such as [Chongqing](/source/Chongqing), [St. Louis](/source/St._Louis), and [Khartoum](/source/Khartoum),  arose at confluences; further examples appear in the list. Within a city, a confluence often forms a visually prominent point, so that confluences are sometimes chosen as the site of prominent public buildings or monuments, as in [Koblenz](/source/Deutsches_Eck), [Lyon](/source/Mus%C3%A9e_des_Confluences), and [Winnipeg](/source/The_Forks%2C_Winnipeg). Cities also often build parks at confluences, sometimes as projects of municipal improvement, as at [Portland](/source/Kelley_Point_Park) and [Pittsburgh](/source/Point_State_Park). In other cases, a confluence is an industrial site, as in [Philadelphia](/source/Philadelphia_Naval_Shipyard) or [Mannheim](/source/Mannheim_Harbour). Often a confluence lies in the shared [floodplain](/source/floodplain) of the two rivers and nothing is built on it, for example at [Manaus](/source/Manaus), described below.

One other way that confluences may be exploited by humans is as sacred places in [religion](/source/religion)s. Rogers suggests that for the ancient peoples of the [Iron Age](/source/Iron_Age) in northwest Europe, watery locations were often sacred, especially sources and confluences.<ref>Rogers, Adam (2011) ''Late Roman Towns in Britain: Rethinking Change and Decline''.  Cambridge:  Cambridge University Press, p. 42. Excerpts available on line at Google Books.</ref> Pre-Christian [Slav](/source/Slav)ic peoples chose confluences as the sites for fortified triangular temples, where they practiced human sacrifice and other sacred rites.<ref>Gasparini, Evel (n.d.) "Slavic religion", in ''Encyclopedia Britannica'', on line edition:  [https://www.britannica.com/topic/Slavic-religion#toc548484main]</ref> In [Hinduism](/source/Hinduism), the confluence of two sacred rivers often is a pilgrimage site for ritual bathing.<ref>Source: Letizia (2017), who writes, "as rivers are considered holy entities, at the meeting of two streams the 'sacredness' of the first river add to that of the second one. The confluence seems to have a sort of 'additive fame' ... because it gives pilgrims the chance to bathe in two rivers at the same time."</ref> In Pittsburgh, a number of adherents to [Mayanism](/source/Mayanism) consider their city's confluence to be sacred.<ref>Ann Rodgers, "So how did the Point get on a Mayan calendar?", ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'', June 22, 2008.  On line at [http://www.post-gazette.com/local/neighborhoods/2008/06/22/So-how-did-the-Point-get-on-a-Mayan-calendar/stories/200806220263].</ref>

==Notable confluences==
[[File:Whiteandblueniles.jpg|thumb|The [White Nile](/source/White_Nile) and [Blue Nile](/source/Blue_Nile) merge at [Khartoum](/source/Khartoum); April 2013 satellite view.]]

===Africa===
* At [Lokoja](/source/Lokoja), [Nigeria](/source/Nigeria), the [Benue River](/source/Benue_River) flows into the [Niger](/source/Niger_River).<ref>{{Cite news|date=2021-02-27|title=Tourism potentials of rivers Niger, Benue confluence untapped centuries after|url=https://dailytrust.com/tourism-potentials-of-rivers-niger-benue-confluence-untapped-centuries-after|access-date=2022-02-24|newspaper=[Daily Trust](/source/Daily_Trust)|language=en}}</ref>
* At [Kazungula](/source/Kazungula) in [Zambia](/source/Zambia), the [Chobe River](/source/Chobe_River) flows into the [Zambezi](/source/Zambezi). The confluence defines the [tripoint](/source/tripoint) of [Zambia](/source/Zambia) (north of the rivers), [Botswana](/source/Botswana) (south of the rivers) and [Namibia](/source/Namibia) (west of the rivers). The land border between Botswana and [Zimbabwe](/source/Zimbabwe) to the east also reaches the Zambezi at this confluence, so there is a second tripoint (Zambia-Botswana-Zimbabwe) only 150 meters downstream from the first.  See [Kazungula](/source/Kazungula) and [Quadripoint](/source/Quadripoint),  and Gallery below for image.
* The Sudanese capital of [Khartoum](/source/Khartoum) is located at the confluence of the [White Nile](/source/White_Nile) and the [Blue Nile](/source/Blue_Nile), the beginning of the [Nile](/source/Nile).

===Asia===
[[File:Mouth of Nam Khan.JPG|thumb|The [Nam Khan](/source/Nam_Khan) flows into the [Mekong](/source/Mekong) at [Luang Prabang](/source/Luang_Prabang) in [Laos](/source/Laos).]]
[[File:SkylineOfChongqing.jpg|thumb|The confluence of the [Jialing](/source/Jialing_River) and the [Yangtze](/source/Yangtze) in [Chongqing](/source/Chongqing). The Yangtze flows left to right across the bottom of the image.]]
* 82&nbsp;km north of [Basra](/source/Basra) in [Iraq](/source/Iraq) at the town of [Al-Qurnah](/source/Al-Qurnah) is the confluence of the rivers [Tigris](/source/Tigris) and [Euphrates](/source/Euphrates), forming the [Shatt al-Arab](/source/Shatt_al-Arab).
*
* At [Devprayag](/source/Devprayag) in [India](/source/India), the [Ganges River](/source/Ganges_River) originates at the confluence of the [Bhagirathi](/source/Bhagirathi) and the [Alaknanda](/source/Alaknanda); see images above.
* Near [Allahabad](/source/Allahabad), India, the [Yamuna](/source/Yamuna) flows into the Ganges. In [Hinduism](/source/Hinduism), this is a pilgrimage site for ritual bathing;<ref>See reporting in the ''New York Times'' ([https://www.nytimes.com/1989/02/15/world/for-hindu-millions-rivers-of-divine-nectar.html?mcubz=1]) and ''The Atlantic'' ([https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2013/01/kumbh-mela-the-largest-gathering-on-earth/100438/]).</ref> during a [Kumbh Mela](/source/Kumbh_Mela) event tens of millions of people visit the site. In Hindu belief the site is held to be a ''triple'' confluence ([Triveni Sangam](/source/Triveni_Sangam)), the third river being the metaphysical (not physically present) [Sarasvati](/source/Sarasvati_River).<ref>The incorporation of invisible rivers into confluences elsewhere in the subcontinent is documented by Letizia (2017).</ref>
*[Karad](/source/Karad), in [Maharashtra](/source/Maharashtra), [India](/source/India), is the site of the [Pritisangam](/source/Pritisangam) (meaning: Lovely Confluence), a T-shaped confluence of [Krishna River](/source/Krishna_River) and [Koyna River](/source/Koyna_River), where Koyna River mergers into Krishna River forming a T-shape and then the merged rivers flow to the east as Krishna River.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gruhkhoj.com/karad-tourism.php|title=Karad Tourism {{!}} Top Tourist Places to Visit in Karad Area {{!}} Travel Guide|website=www.gruhkhoj.com|access-date=2019-10-14}}</ref>
thumb|The Kolam Biru in Kuala Lumpur
* [Kuala Lumpur](/source/Kuala_Lumpur), the capital of [Malaysia](/source/Malaysia), is where the [Gombak River](/source/Gombak_River) (previously known as Sungai Lumpur, which means "muddy river") flows into the [Klang River](/source/Klang_River) at the site of the [Jamek Mosque](/source/Jamek_Mosque). Recently, the Kolam Biru (Blue Pool), a pool with elaborate fountains, has been installed at the apex of the confluence.<ref>See ''New Straits Times'', August 28, 2017, 'Najib launches River of Life, Blue Pool projects", at [https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2017/08/273894/najib-launches-river-life-blue-pool-projects].</ref>
*Both [Taipei](/source/Taipei) and [New Taipei](/source/New_Taipei) are where the [Dahan](/source/Dahan_River) and [Xindian](/source/Xindian_River) meet and flow into the [Tamsui River](/source/Tamsui_River). 
* The [Nam Khan](/source/Nam_Khan) River flows into the Mekong at [Luang Prabang](/source/Luang_Prabang) in Laos.
* [Pak Nam Pho](/source/Pak_Nam_Pho), the downtown of [Nakhon Sawan](/source/Nakhon_Sawan_Province) in [Thailand](/source/Thailand), is  the confluence of the rivers [Ping](/source/Ping_River) and [Nan](/source/Nan_River), forming the [Chao Phraya](/source/Chao_Phraya) the main artery of [central Thailand](/source/central_Thailand).
*[Pak Phraek](/source/Pak_Phraek%2C_Kanchanaburi), the [old town](/source/old_town) zone of [Kanchanaburi](/source/Kanchanaburi_province) in Thailand, is  the confluence of the rivers [Khwae Yai](/source/Khwae_Yai_River) and [Khwae Noi](/source/Khwae_Noi_River), forming the [Mae Klong](/source/Mae_Klong) the main artery of [western Thailand](/source/western_Thailand).
* Sam Sop, also known as Sam Prasop, is the confluence where the Ran Ti, Bikhli, and [Songkalia River](/source/Songkalia_River)s meet near [Uttamanusorn Bridge](/source/Uttamanusorn_Bridge), commonly known as Mon Bridge, the longest wooden bridge in Thailand, located in [Sangkhla](/source/Sangkhla_Buri_District), Kanchanaburi.
* The [Pa Sak](/source/Pa_Sak_River) combines the [Chao Phraya](/source/Chao_Phraya) at [Ayutthaya](/source/Phra_Nakhon_Si_Ayutthaya_(city)) in Thailand. The confluence is a location of the historic monastery [Wat Phanan Choeng](/source/Wat_Phanan_Choeng), built around 26 years before the founding of the [Ayutthaya Kingdom](/source/Ayutthaya_Kingdom).
* The [Jialing](/source/Jialing_River) flows into the [Yangtze](/source/Yangtze) at [Chongqing](/source/Chongqing) in [China](/source/China). The confluence forms a focal point in the city, marked by Chaotianmen Square, built in 1998.
* In the Far East, the [Amur](/source/Amur_River) forms the international boundary between China and [Russia](/source/Russia). The [Ussuri](/source/Ussuri), which also demarcates the border, flows into the Amur at a point midway between [Fuyuan](/source/Fuyuan%2C_Heilongjiang) in China and [Khabarovsk](/source/Khabarovsk) in Russia. The apex of the confluence is located in a rural area, part of China, where a commemorative park, Dongji Square, has been built; it features an enormous sculpture representing the Chinese character for "East".<ref>See Bruno Maçães, "Signs and Symbols on the Sino-Russian Border", published in ''[The Diplomat](/source/The_Diplomat_(magazine))''.  On line at [https://thediplomat.com/2016/05/signs-and-symbols-on-the-sino-russian-border/].</ref> The Amur-Ussuri border region was the location of the [Sino-Soviet border conflict](/source/Sino-Soviet_border_conflict) of 1969; the borderline near the confluence was settled peacefully by treaty in 2008.
* In [Georgia](/source/Georgia_(country)), in the town of [Pasanauri](/source/Pasanauri) on the southern slopes of the [Caucasus Mountains](/source/Caucasus_Mountains), the Tetri Aragvi ("White Aragvi") is joined by the Shavi Aragvi ("Black Aragvi"). Together, these two rivers continue as the [Aragvi River](/source/Aragvi). The conflux is known for its dramatic visual contrast of the two rivers.

===Australia===
* The two largest rivers in Australia, the [Murray](/source/Murray_River) and its tributary the [Darling](/source/Darling_River), converge at [Wentworth, New South Wales](/source/Wentworth%2C_New_South_Wales).

===Europe===
[[File:DSC00679 Ile de la Cite.JPG|thumb|upright=1.4|The [Seine](/source/Seine) becomes a single channel at the west end of the [Île de la Cité](/source/%C3%8Ele_de_la_Cit%C3%A9) in [Paris](/source/Paris). The [Pont Neuf](/source/Pont_Neuf) can be seen.]]

====Seine====
* The [Seine](/source/Seine) divides in the historical center of [Paris](/source/Paris), flowing around two river islands, the [Île Saint-Louis](/source/%C3%8Ele_Saint-Louis) and the [Île de la Cité](/source/%C3%8Ele_de_la_Cit%C3%A9). At the downstream confluence, where the river becomes a single channel again, the Île de la Cité is crossed by the famous [Pont Neuf](/source/Pont_Neuf), adjacent to an equestrian statue of King [Henri IV](/source/Henri_IV) and the historically more recent Vert Galant park. The site has repeatedly been portrayed by artists including [Monet](/source/Claude_Monet), [Renoir](/source/Pierre-Auguste_Renoir), and [Pissarro](/source/Camille_Pissarro).
* Further upstream, the [Marne](/source/Marne_(river)) empties into the Seine at [Charenton-le-Pont](/source/Charenton-le-Pont) and [Alfortville](/source/Alfortville), just southeast of the Paris city limits. The site is dominated by the {{ill|Huatian Chinagora|fr|Huatian Chinagora}}, a four-star hotel under Chinese management.
[[Image:Koblenz im Buga-Jahr 2011 - Deutsches Eck 01.jpg|thumb|The [Mosel](/source/Moselle) flows into the [Rhine](/source/Rhine) at [Koblenz](/source/Koblenz).]]

====Rhine====
* The [Rhine](/source/Rhine) carries much river traffic, and major inland ports are found at its confluence with the [Ruhr](/source/Ruhr_(river)) at [Duisburg](/source/Duisburg), and with the [Neckar](/source/Neckar) at [Mannheim](/source/Mannheim); see [Mannheim Harbour](/source/Mannheim_Harbour).
* The [Main](/source/Main_River) flows into the Rhine just south of [Mainz](/source/Mainz).
* The [Mosel](/source/Moselle_(river)) flows into the Rhine further north at [Koblenz](/source/Koblenz). The name "Koblenz" itself has its origin in the Latin name "Confluentes". In German, this confluence is known as the "[Deutsches Eck](/source/Deutsches_Eck)" ("German corner") and is the site of an imposing monument to German unification featuring an equestrian statue of [Kaiser Wilhelm I](/source/Kaiser_Wilhelm_I).
* Upstream in [Switzerland](/source/Switzerland), a small town also named [Koblenz](/source/Koblenz%2C_Switzerland) (for the same reason) is where the [Aare](/source/Aare_River) joins the Rhine.

====Danube basin====
[[File:Passau aerial view 1.jpg|thumb|The triple confluence in [Passau](/source/Passau); from left to right, the [Inn](/source/Inn_River), the [Danube](/source/Danube), and the [Ilz](/source/Ilz).]]
* [Passau](/source/Passau), Germany, sometimes called the {{lang|de|Dreiflüssestadt}} (City of Three Rivers), is the site of a triple confluence, described thus in a guidebook: "from the north the little [Ilz](/source/Ilz) sluices brackish water down from the [peat](/source/peat)-rich [Bavarian Forest](/source/Bavarian_Forest), meeting the cloudy brown of the [Danube](/source/Danube) as it flows from the west and the pale snow-melt jade of the [Inn](/source/Inn_River) from the south [i.e., the [Alps](/source/Alps)] to create a murky tricolour."<ref>See Andrea Schulte-Peevers, Kerry Christiani, Marc Di Duca, Catherine Le Nevez, Tom Masters, Ryan Ver Berkmoes, and Benedict Walker (2016) ''Lonely Planet Germany'', Lonely Planet Publishing. Excerpts posted on line at Google Books:  [https://books.google.com/books?id=dRiHCwAAQBAJ&q=dreiflusseeck+passau]</ref>
* The [Thaya](/source/Thaya_River) flows into the [Morava](/source/Morava_(river)) in a rural location near [Hohenau an der March](/source/Hohenau_an_der_March) in Austria, forming the [tripoint](/source/tripoint) of Austria, Czechia, and Slovakia.
* The Morava flows into the Danube at [Devín](/source/Dev%C3%ADn), on the border between Slovakia and Austria.
* The [Sava](/source/Sava) flows into the Danube at [Belgrade](/source/Belgrade), the capital of [Serbia](/source/Serbia).
* In [karst topography](/source/karst), which arises in soluble rock, rivers sometimes flow underground and form subterranean confluences, as at [Planina Cave](/source/Planina_Cave) in [Slovenia](/source/Slovenia), where the [Pivka](/source/Pivka_(river)) and [Rak](/source/Rak_(river)) merge to form the [Unica](/source/Unica_(river)).<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://www.dedi.si/dediscina/89-planinska-jama |language=sl |title=Planinska jama |trans-title=Planina Cave |encyclopedia=Enciklopedija naravne in kulturne dediščine na Slovenskem [Encyclopedia of Natural and Cultural Heritage in Slovenia] |first1=Janja |last1=Kogovšek |first2=Metka |last2=Petrič |first3=Nadja |last3=Zupan Hajna |first4=Tanja |last4=Pipan |editor1-first=Mateja |editor1-last=Šmid Hribar |editor2-first=Gregor |editor2-last=Golež |editor3-first=Dan |editor3-last=Podjed |editor4-first=Drago |editor4-last=Kladnik |editor5-first=Bojan |editor5-last=Erhartič |editor6-first=Primož |editor6-last=Pavlin |editor7-first=Jerele |editor7-last=Ines |access-date=17 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120419164617/http://www.dedi.si/dediscina/89-planinska-jama |archive-date=19 April 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

====Other====
[[File:NN 01-05-2022 20.jpg|thumb|[Confluence of Oka and Volga rivers](/source/Spit_of_Nizhny_Novgorod)]]
* [Lyon](/source/Lyon), [France](/source/France) lies where the [Saône](/source/Sa%C3%B4ne) flows into the [Rhone](/source/Rhone). A major new museum of science and anthropology, the [Musée des Confluences](/source/Mus%C3%A9e_des_Confluences), opened on the site in 2014.
* Near [Toulouse](/source/Toulouse), [France](/source/France) lies where the [Ariège (river)](/source/Ari%C3%A8ge_(river)) flows into the [Garonne](/source/Garonne). Both take their source in the [Pyrenees](/source/Pyrenees).
* The [Lusatian Neisse](/source/Lusatian_Neisse) flows into the [Oder](/source/Oder) at a rural location in Poland opposite the German village of Ratzdorf. The two rivers form the [Oder-Neisse line](/source/Oder-Neisse_line), the postwar boundary of Germany and Poland.
* The [Triangle of Three Emperors](/source/Triangle_of_Three_Emperors), a former political [tripoint](/source/tripoint), lies in present-day [Poland](/source/Poland). The empires that abutted (in the decades before World War I) were the [Austrian](/source/Austrian_Empire), [German](/source/German_Empire), and [Russian](/source/Russian_Empire).
* [Rovaniemi](/source/Rovaniemi), the capital of [Finnish](/source/Finland) [Lapland](/source/Lapland_(Finland)) and one of the largest towns above the [Arctic Circle](/source/Arctic_Circle), is at the confluence of rivers [Ounasjoki](/source/Ounasjoki) and [Kemijoki](/source/Kemijoki).
* [Kryvyi Rih](/source/Kryvyi_Rih), [Ukraine](/source/Ukraine) is located (and named after) on the confluence of the [Saksahan](/source/Saksahan) and [Inhulets River](/source/Inhulets_River).
* The [Oka](/source/Oka_River) [flows into](/source/Spit_of_Nizhny_Novgorod) the [Volga](/source/Volga) at [Nizhny Novgorod](/source/Nizhny_Novgorod) in [Russia](/source/Russia). The [Alexander Nevsky Cathedral](/source/Alexander_Nevsky_Cathedral%2C_Nizhny_Novgorod) overlooks the site.
* The English city of [Southampton](/source/Southampton) is built at the confluence of the tidal estuaries of the [River Test](/source/River_Test) and [River Itchen](/source/River_Itchen%2C_Hampshire) which combine to form [Southampton Water](/source/Southampton_Water) estuary.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Southampton-England|title = Southampton &#124; city and unitary authority, England, United Kingdom| date=20 September 2023 }}</ref>

===North America===
[[File:Allegheny Monongahela Ohio.jpg|thumb|The confluence of the [Allegheny](/source/Allegheny_River) and [Monongahela](/source/Monongahela_River) at [Pittsburgh](/source/Pittsburgh), forming the [Ohio](/source/Ohio_River)]]
[[File:CairoIL from space annotated.jpg|thumb|The [Ohio](/source/Ohio_River) flows into the Mississippi at [Cairo](/source/Cairo%2C_Illinois).]]
[[File:Rideau Falls.JPG|thumb|The [Rideau Falls](/source/Rideau_Falls) in [Ottawa](/source/Ottawa), where the [Rideau River](/source/Rideau_River) tumbles into [Ottawa River](/source/Ottawa_River) at its mouth]]
'''Mississippi basin'''
* The Greater [Twin Cities](/source/Minneapolis-Saint_Paul) area of [Minneapolis](/source/Minneapolis) and [St. Paul](/source/Saint_Paul%2C_Minnesota), [Minnesota](/source/Minnesota) features two important Mississippi confluences. Near historical [Fort Snelling](/source/Fort_Snelling) and the town of [Mendota](/source/Mendota%2C_Minnesota)—about 9 miles downstream on the Mississippi from Minneapolis—the [Minnesota River](/source/Minnesota_River) flows into the Mississippi at [Pike Island](/source/Pike_Island). The area around this confluence is a location of spiritual, cultural, and historical significance to the [Dakota people](/source/Dakota_people) and is also the site of the earliest European settlements in the Twin Cities area. About 30 miles further downstream from the Minnesota-Mississippi confluence—and 25 miles downstream from St. Paul—the Mississippi joins with the [St. Croix River](/source/St._Croix_River_(Wisconsin-Minnesota)) near [Hastings, Minnesota](/source/Hastings%2C_Minnesota), and [Prescott, Wisconsin](/source/Prescott%2C_Wisconsin).   
* [Vicksburg, Mississippi](/source/Vicksburg%2C_Mississippi) lies atop bluffs overlooking the confluence of the [Mississippi River](/source/Mississippi_River) with its tributary the [Yazoo](/source/Yazoo_River). Both rivers, as well as the bluffs, played an important role in the [Vicksburg Campaign](/source/Vicksburg_Campaign), a pivotal event of the [American Civil War](/source/American_Civil_War).
* The [Missouri River](/source/Missouri_River) flows into the [Mississippi River](/source/Mississippi_River) at [Jones-Confluence Point State Park](/source/Jones-Confluence_Point_State_Park), just north of [St. Louis, Missouri](/source/St._Louis%2C_Missouri). Slightly further upstream, the [Illinois River](/source/Illinois_River) flows into the Mississippi.
* The [Madison](/source/Madison_River), [Jefferson](/source/Jefferson_River) and [Gallatin](/source/Gallatin_River) Rivers in [Three Forks, Montana](/source/Three_Forks%2C_Montana) form the confluence of the Missouri River.
* At [Keokuk, Iowa](/source/Keokuk%2C_Iowa), the [Des Moines River](/source/Des_Moines_River) flows into the Mississippi. This forms the political [tripoint](/source/tripoint) between the U.S. states of [Iowa](/source/Iowa), [Missouri](/source/Missouri), and [Illinois](/source/Illinois).
* Just south of [Cairo, Illinois](/source/Cairo%2C_Illinois), the [Ohio River](/source/Ohio_River) flows into the Mississippi, forming the tripoint between the states of [Illinois](/source/Illinois), [Missouri](/source/Missouri), and [Kentucky](/source/Kentucky).
* The Ohio River is formed by the confluence of the [Monongahela](/source/Monongahela_River) and [Allegheny](/source/Allegheny_River) rivers, located in [Pittsburgh](/source/Pittsburgh), [Pennsylvania](/source/Pennsylvania). The site is of great historical significance; in the 1970s it was upgraded by the creation of [Point State Park](/source/Point_State_Park), highlighted by a large fountain.
'''Atlantic watersheds'''
* At [Harpers Ferry, West Virginia](/source/Harpers_Ferry%2C_West_Virginia), the [Shenandoah River](/source/Shenandoah_River) flows into the [Potomac River](/source/Potomac_River), at the [tripoint](/source/tripoint) of the U.S. states of [Virginia](/source/Virginia), [West Virginia](/source/West_Virginia), and [Maryland](/source/Maryland).
* At [Philadelphia](/source/Philadelphia), [Pennsylvania](/source/Pennsylvania), the [Schuylkill River](/source/Schuylkill_River) flows into the [Delaware River](/source/Delaware_River), next to the former [Philadelphia Naval Shipyard](/source/Philadelphia_Naval_Shipyard); the site remains industrial.
* At [Cohoes, New York](/source/Cohoes%2C_New_York), a few miles north of [Albany](/source/Albany%2C_New_York), the [Mohawk River](/source/Mohawk_River) flows into the [Hudson](/source/Hudson_River) in three channels separated by islands. The confluence is historically important: upstream traffic on or along the Hudson often took a left turn at the Mohawk, which offers a uniquely level passageway through the [Appalachian Mountains](/source/Appalachian_Mountains) that assisted commerce and the settlement of the West.
* At [Ottawa](/source/Ottawa), the capital of Canada, the [Rideau River](/source/Rideau_River) flows—unusually, as a waterfall—into the [Ottawa River](/source/Ottawa_River); see [Rideau Falls](/source/Rideau_Falls). On the island separating the two portions of the falls is a park with military monuments, among them the [Ottawa Memorial](/source/Ottawa_Memorial).
* The [Hochelaga Archipelago](/source/Hochelaga_Archipelago), including the island and city of [Montreal](/source/Montreal), is located where the [Ottawa River](/source/Ottawa_River) flows into the [St. Lawrence River](/source/St._Lawrence_River) in [Quebec](/source/Quebec), [Canada](/source/Canada).
* [Winnipeg](/source/Winnipeg), [Canada](/source/Canada), is at the confluence of the [Red River](/source/Red_River_of_the_North), and the [Assiniboine River](/source/Assiniboine_River).  The area is referred to as [The Forks](/source/The_Forks%2C_Winnipeg) by locals, and has been an important trade location for over 6000 years.
'''Pacific watersheds'''
* The [Green River](/source/Green_River_(Colorado_River_tributary)) flows into the [Colorado River](/source/Colorado_River) at the heart of [Canyonlands National Park](/source/Canyonlands_National_Park) in [Utah](/source/Utah)'s Canyon Country.
* The [Snake River](/source/Snake_River) flows into the [Columbia River](/source/Columbia_River) at Sacagawea State park near the [Tri-Cities](/source/Tri-Cities%2C_Washington) of [Washington](/source/Washington_(state)). It should also be noted that the significant Yakima river also flows into the Columbia just a few miles upstream, thus giving the region the unofficial preposition of Three Rivers
* In [Portland, Oregon](/source/Portland%2C_Oregon), the [Willamette River](/source/Willamette_River) flows into the Columbia at [Kelley Point Park](/source/Kelley_Point_Park), built on land acquired from the Port of Portland in 1984.
* [Lytton, British Columbia](/source/Lytton%2C_British_Columbia), [Canada](/source/Canada), is located at the confluence of the muddy [Fraser River](/source/Fraser_River) and the clearer [Thompson River](/source/Thompson_River).

[[File:Encontro das Águas - Manaus.jpg|thumb|The confluence of the [Rio Negro](/source/Rio_Negro_(Amazon)) (black) and the [Rio Solimões](/source/Rio_Solim%C3%B5es) (turbid) near [Manaus, Brazil](/source/Manaus%2C_Brazil)]]

===South America===
* [Manaus](/source/Manaus), [Brazil](/source/Brazil) is on the [Rio Negro](/source/Rio_Negro_(Amazon)) near its confluence with the [Amazon](/source/Amazon_River) (see [Meeting of Waters](/source/Meeting_of_Waters)). It is the chief port and a hub for the region's extensive river system.
* The [Iguazú](/source/Iguazu_River) flows into the [Paraná](/source/Paran%C3%A1_River) at the "Triple Frontier" ({{langx|es|La Triple Frontera}}, {{langx|pt|Tríplice Fronteira}}), the [tripoint](/source/tripoint) for [Paraguay](/source/Paraguay), [Argentina](/source/Argentina), and [Brazil](/source/Brazil).
* In [Ciudad Guayana](/source/Ciudad_Guayana), [Venezuela](/source/Venezuela) there is a confluence between [Orinoco River](/source/Orinoco_River) and [Caroní River](/source/Caron%C3%AD_River).<ref>{{cite web |title=Caronoco: confluencia de los rios Caroní y Orinoco |url=http://www.parquesnacionales.com.ve/index.php/turismo/244-caronoco-confluencia-de-los-rios-caroni-y-orinoco |website=Parques Nacionales Venezuela |access-date=4 March 2019 |archive-date=30 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191130130158/http://www.parquesnacionales.com.ve/index.php/turismo/244-caronoco-confluencia-de-los-rios-caroni-y-orinoco |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Confluences of non-rivers==
[[Image:IHNCconfluence.png|thumb|A section of the Industrial Canal in [New Orleans](/source/New_Orleans) also serves as the channel for the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet Canal. The waterways are said to be 'confluent'.]]
Occasionally, "confluence" is used to describe the meeting of tidal or other non-riverine bodies of water, such as two canals<ref>The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers refers to the confluence of the [Assawoman Canal](/source/Assawoman_Canal) with the [Bethany Loop Canal](/source/Bethany_Loop_Canal) in Delaware. See: {{cite web |title=CENAP-OP-R-Quarterly Report, 2004-05-12 |url=http://www.nap.usace.army.mil/cenap-pa/qtrlyPN-2-2004.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041017044104/http://www.nap.usace.army.mil/cenap-pa/qtrlyPN-2-2004.htm |archive-date=2004-10-17 |access-date=2006-03-11 |work=Philadelphia Engineer District}}</ref> or a canal and a lake.<ref>Engineers in New Orleans refer to the confluence of the 17th Street Canal and Lake Pontchartrain. See:  {{cite web
 | title=Interim Closure Structure at 17th St. Canal
 | work=Task Force Guardian
 | url=http://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/tfg/OEB09.htm
 | access-date=2006-03-11 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060625180619/http://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/tfg/OEB09.htm <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 2006-06-25}}</ref>  A one-mile (1.6&nbsp;km) portion of the [Industrial Canal](/source/Industrial_Canal) in [New Orleans](/source/New_Orleans) accommodates the [Gulf Intracoastal Waterway](/source/Gulf_Intracoastal_Waterway) and the [Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet Canal](/source/Mississippi_River-Gulf_Outlet_Canal); therefore those three waterways are confluent there.

The term confluence can also apply to the process of merging or flowing together of other substance.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Park |first=Chris C. |title=A dictionary of environment and conservation |date=2017 |others=Michael Allaby |isbn=978-0-19-182632-0 |edition=3 |location=[Oxford] |oclc=970401188}}</ref> For example, it may refer to the merger of the flow of two [glacier](/source/glacier)s.<ref>Vladimir Kotlyakov and Anna Komarova (2006) ''Elsevier's Dictionary of Geography: in English, Russian, French, Spanish and German''.  Elsevier.  Passage cited may be accessed on [Google Books](/source/Google_Books).</ref>
{{clear}}

==See also==
* {{annotated link|River mouth}}
* {{annotated link|Aber and Inver (placename elements)|Aber and Inver as place-name elements}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

* Letizia, Chiara (2017) "The Sacred Confluence, between Nature and Culture," in Marie Lecomte-Tilouine (ed.) ''Nature, Culture and Religion at the Crossroads of Asia''.  Routledge. Extracts available on line at Google Books.

==External links==
{{Wiktionary}}
* [http://twistedsifter.com/2012/04/confluences-around-the-world/] A collection of full-size, vivid photographs of confluences, most of them mentioned in the list above.
{{Commons category|Confluences}}

{{Rivers, streams and springs}}

<!--Categories-->
Category:Physical geography
Category:Rivers
Category:Bodies of water
Category:River morphology
Category:Hydraulic engineering
Category:Hydrology
Category:Fluid dynamics

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Confluence](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confluence) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confluence?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.