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The river picks up sediment and carries it downstream in different ways. The material transported by a river is known as its load.

There are four types of transportation:

• Traction - large, heavy pebbles are rolled along the river bed. This is most common near the source of a river, as here the load is larger.
• Saltation - pebbles are bounced along the river bed, most commonly near the source.
• Suspension - lighter sediment is suspended (carried) within the water, most commonly near the mouth of the river.
• Solution - the transport of dissolved chemicals. This varies along the river depending on the presence of soluble rocks.