delta

[del-tuh]

delta [from triangular shape of the Nile delta, like the Greek letter delta], a deposit of clay, silt, and sand formed at the mouth of a river where the stream loses velocity and drops part of its sediment load. No delta is formed if the coast is sinking or if there is an ocean or tidal current strong enough to prevent sediment deposition. Coarse particles settle first, with fine clays last and found at the outer regions of the delta. The three main varieties of deltas are the arcuate (the Nile), the bird's-foot (the Mississippi), and the cuspate (the Tiber). The Nile, Mississippi, Niger, Rhine, Danube, Kuban, Volga, Amu Darya, Indus, Ganges-Brahmaputra, Ayeyarwady, Tigris and Euphrates, and Huang He (Yellow) rivers are among those that have formed large deltas, many of which are fertile lands that support dense agricultural populations.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia Copyright © 2004.
Licensed from Columbia University Press

delta

Low-lying plain composed of stream-borne sediments deposited by a river at its mouth. Deltas have been important to humankind since prehistoric times. Sands, silts, and clays deposited by floodwaters were extremely productive agriculturally; and major civilizations flourished in the deltaic plains of the Nile and Tigris-Euphrates rivers. In recent years geologists have discovered that much of the world's petroleum resources are found in ancient deltaic rocks. Deltas vary widely in size, structure, composition, and origin, though many are triangular (the shape of the Greek letter delta).

Learn more about delta with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.

Delta, Colorado

The City of Delta is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Delta County, Colorado, United States. The population was 6,400 at the 2000 census. The United States Forest Service headquarters of the Grand Mesa, Gunnison, and Uncompahgre National Forests are located in Delta.

Geography

Delta is located at (38.740879, -108.063423).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.5 square miles (14.3 km²), of which, 5.3 square miles (13.8 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km²) of it (3.62%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 6,400 people, 2,569 households, and 1,741 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,203.3 people per square mile (464.5/km²). There were 2,749 housing units at an average density of 516.9/sq mi (199.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 86.25% White, 0.20% African American, 0.89% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 9.94% from other races, and 2.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.53% of the population.

There were 2,569 households out of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.1% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the city the population was spread out with 27.2% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 24.1% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 20.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 89.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $27,415, and the median income for a family was $34,798. Males had a median income of $30,658 versus $20,383 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,369. About 9.9% of families and 14.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.0% of those under age 18 and 10.6% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Montrose Regional Airport, located 21 miles south of Delta, is the closest airport served by scheduled airlines. In Grand Junction, which is 39 miles to the north, there are also scheduled airline services, as well as an Amtrak train station with a daily California Zephyr departure on each direction.

Major Highways

U.S. Highway 50 runs east-west, crossing 12 states. It links Sacramento, California with Ocean City, Maryland. In Colorado, it connects Delta to Montrose, Grand Junction and Pueblo.
State Highway 65 is a 61 mile stretch that runs from State Highway 92 in Delta to Interstate 70 near Palisade.
State Highway 92 begins in Delta, at the intersection of Main Street and First Street. It runs 73 miles to the east, reaching US 50 near Blue Mesa Reservoir and Curecanti National Recreation Area.

Media

Delta is served by several publications including Mountain Valley News, which is published out of Cedaredge, and the High Country Shopper, a free shopper paper that distributes over 15,000 papers throughout the county.