3840×2160 4K Aerial footage with drone. A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater. Small rivers can be referred to using names such as stream, creek, brook, rivulet, and rill. Rivers are part of the hydrological cycle. Water generally collects in a river from precipitation through a drainage basin from surface runoff and other sources such as groundwater recharge, springs, and the release of stored water. Potamology is the scientific study of rivers, while limnology is the study of inland waters in general. Field, village, road, way, water channel. Pan camera.