Westflowing

Westflowing is a geographic descriptor used to characterize movement that proceeds toward the western direction. In hydrology and geomorphology, it commonly applies to rivers and streams that drain westward under the influence of local topography and basin gradients. It is not a formal technical term in every discipline, but it appears in descriptive geography and regional studies.

In river systems, westflowing rivers tend to shape western watershed boundaries, influence sediment transport, and interact with coastal plains and fjords. Notable examples include the Columbia River and the Fraser River, which drain toward the Pacific Ocean from their interior basins. In glaciology and sedimentology, westward movement can describe ice or debris flows following west-facing topographic slopes.

The term is most common in regional and field reports, local histories, and descriptive works rather than formalized taxonomy. It is often paired with eastflowing or northward/southward terms to describe overall patterns in a landscape.

See also related terms such as eastflowing, northward flow, and westward drainage.