Anabranch
![Anabranches at the junction of the Yukon River and the Koyukuk River in Alaska, August 24, 1941.](/Images/godic/202412/20/Braided_Drainage3317.jpg")
An anabranch is a section of a river or stream that diverts from the main channel or stem of the watercourse and rejoins the main stem downstream. Local anabranches can be the result of small islands in the watercourse. In larger anabranches, the flow can diverge for a distance of several kilometers before rejoining the main channel.