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cookerg t1_jaj1wu6 wrote

Probably both. Water flows slowest right next to the bottom or sides of the river and faster out in the central. deeper parts, farther from contact with the ground. So in a flooded river, the middle part is even deeper and therefore faster than usual, but the parts that have spread out onto the shallow flood plain move much slower than usual

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LeePhilips t1_jakusng wrote

I argue that under normal conditions the velocity in the shallow flood plain is zero and during a flood it is non-zero. :)

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cookerg t1_jas8hsd wrote

:)

Seriously though, in normal conditions there isn't much water in the normal river bed that is standing fairly still, although of course there is some.

In flood conditions, in broad flood plains, there may be a vast expanse of water that is barely moving.

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