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{{globalize|article|us|reason=only in the US would you define a reach between arbitrary features; normally they are set by the physics of sail|date=December 2019}}
A '''reach''' is a length of a stream, river, or arm of the sea extending up into the land,{{
They are traditionally defined by the [[Point of sail#Reaching|capabilities of sailing boats]], as a stretch of a watercourse which, because it is straightish, can be sailed in one [[Glossary of nautical terms (M-Z)#reach|reach]] (that is, without [[Tacking (sailing)|tacking]]).
Reaches are often named by those using the river, and a reach may be named for landmarks, natural features, and historical reasons (see, for instance, [[Gallions' Reach]], named after the family that once owned its banks).
A reach may be an expanse, or widening, of a stream or river channel. This commonly occurs after the river or stream is dammed. A reach is similar to an [[Arm (geography)|arm]], though an arm may bend and thus have multiple reaches. The term "reach" can also refer to a level stretch, as between river rapids or locks in a [[canal]].{{
In [[fluvial]] [[hydrology]], a reach is a convenient subdivision of study; it may be any length of river of fairly uniform characteristics, or the length between [[gauging station]]s, or simply the length of a watercourse between any two defined points.<ref>[http://water.usgs.gov/wsc/glossary.html#R Hydrologic Definitions], Science in Your Watershed, [[United States Geological Survey|USGS]]</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Glossary: stream-related terms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141207192549/https://www.streamnet.org/glossarystream.html|url=http://www.streamnet.org/glossarystream.html |website=Streamnet |date=7 December 2014|archive-date=2014-12-07}}</ref> These may be measured in terms of [[river mile]]s.
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