ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Braided stream

A braided stream is like a special kind of river that has lots of channels and looks like a big knot. You know how your hair gets all twisted and tangled when you play with it a lot? That's kind of what happens with the water in a braided stream. The water moves around a lot and it starts to make different paths, kind of like a maze.

Picture taking a big spoonful of spaghetti and twirling it around on your plate. The noodles start to move around and make lots of different twisted shapes. That's kind of what happens with the water in a braided stream. The water is moving and swirling around, and it starts to make lots of little paths and channels.

This happens because the water in a braided stream is really powerful and can move lots of rocks and soil around. When the water moves things around, it can create new channels and paths for the water to go through. Over time, the channels and paths become bigger and bigger, and it creates that braided stream look.

So, imagine a big river that has lots of twists and turns and a bunch of different channels weaving in and out of one another like a braid. That's what a braided stream is!
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