How does one avoid th River Police?

[Coyotemax]

The river policed rules (to coin a phrase) are good ones for making general sense and generally follow a geologically sound pattern based on generalities found in nature, at least on our earth. (and i'll say it again- generally! hah) Regards the river police and inland salt basin seas etc, I've seen those posed as examples many times as exceptions If you want to, you can find examples that contradict nearly all of the specific citings that have been handed out (except perhaps water flowing uphill). Of course there are exceptions, but as you point out, that's exactly what they should be - exceptions, not rules.

if your world has it's own rules, i think the call at that point is to ensure that those rules are followed consistently throughout that world. Consistent internal logic is important to the believability, which in my case at least, adds to the enjoyment.

[TheMarcus7]

I appreciate all the responses. I was mostly looking for a reference to the articles listed above because I figured they existed but couldn't find them <cough>because I'm too lazy to look real hard</cough>. I'm less worried about "breaking the rules" than I am about making a map that looks good.

Ansel Adams said "The great is the enemy of the good" or some such, but everyone here is so friendly and helpful, that I see a lot of good cartographers becoming great. I just wanna be one of them

.TM7

[Mark Oliva]

if your world has it's own rules, i think the call at that point is to ensure that those rules are followed consistently throughout that world. Consistent internal logic is important to the believability, which in my case at least, adds to the enjoyment.

I agree completely. On both points.

[philipstephen]

I think there is a river in Cambodia that flows in reverse during certain times of the year... flooding backflows it somehow... not sure the process...

ah Google, you answer my call again:

"The Tônlé Sap is a shallow lake in western Cambodia which is part of the Mekong River system. It is the largest lake of Southeast Asia and is fed by numerous streams. During the dry season it drains by the Tônlé Sap River southeast to the Mekong River. During the wet monsoon season of June to November, the high waters of the Mekong River reverse the flow of the Tônlé Sab River and increase the size of the lake from 2,600 to 10,400 sq km (about 1,000 to 4,020 sq mi). When the high waters of the Mekong River recede, the flow reverses. This natural mechanism provides a unique and important balance to the Mekong River down stream of the lake and ensures a flow of fresh water during the dry season into the Mekong delta in Vietnam which buffers the intrusion of salt water from the South China Sea into the rich agricultural lands of the delta."