distributary

thumb|Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, with the flow from right to left, showing several streams branching off from their main streams

A distributary, or a distributary channel is a stream channel that branches off and flows a main stream channel. It is the opposite of a tributary, a stream that flows another stream or river. Distributaries are a result of river bifurcation and are often found where a river approaches a lake or an ocean and divides into distributary networks; as such they are a common feature of river deltas. They can also occur inland, on alluvial fans, or where a tributary stream bifurcates as it nears its confluence with a larger stream. In some cases, a minor distributary can divert so much water from the main channel that it can later become the main route.