Bank vs. Berm — What's the Difference?
By Maham Liaqat & Fiza Rafique — Updated on March 29, 2024
A bank is a raised area of land bordering a river or stream, whereas a berm is an artificially created mound or raised barrier separating areas.
Difference Between Bank and Berm
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Banks naturally form along the sides of rivers and streams, offering a protective barrier against flooding by containing the water within its course. On the other hand, berms are man-made constructions, often used for control of drainage, managing water flow, or as defensive barriers in military applications.
While banks are primarily shaped by the natural flow and deposition of sediments by water bodies, thereby changing shape over time, berms are designed and constructed according to specific needs, such as providing a noise barrier for highways or reinforcing embankments.
Banks play a critical role in the ecosystem of water bodies, providing habitat for various species and contributing to the overall health of the aquatic environment. In contrast, berms serve more utilitarian purposes, such as preventing erosion, protecting against floodwaters, or as part of landscaping to enhance aesthetic appeal.
The material composition of banks is usually native soils and sediments that have been deposited over time, making them an integral part of the natural landscape. Conversely, berms are constructed from a variety of materials, including soil, sand, gravel, or even concrete, depending on their intended function.
One interesting aspect of banks is their dynamic nature; they are continually shaped and reshaped by the forces of water and sediment deposition. Berms, while initially constructed to meet certain criteria, may also require maintenance and reinforcement over time to ensure they continue to meet their designed function effectively.
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Comparison Chart
Origin
Natural formation
Man-made construction
Primary Function
Containment of water bodies
Separation, protection, and control of areas
Composition
Native soils and sediments
Variety of materials like soil, sand, gravel, concrete
Ecosystem Role
Supports aquatic life and controls erosion
Utilitarian, with limited direct ecological benefit
Maintenance and Change
Shaped by natural processes, low human intervention
Requires maintenance, subject to human design changes
Compare with Definitions
Bank
A raised area of land along the side of a river.
The river bank was teeming with wildlife.
Berm
An artificially raised barrier or path.
A berm was built around the garden to prevent flooding.
Bank
A slope or mound that borders a river.
The muddy bank slid underfoot.
Berm
A landscaped mound designed to provide visual interest or noise reduction.
The highway was hidden behind a tall berm.
Bank
A natural elevation beside a body of water.
The bank was covered in lush greenery.
Berm
A constructed ridge of earth.
The new berm supported the railway tracks above the floodplain.
Bank
The land near the edge of a body of water.
They picnicked on the bank of the lake.
Berm
A raised bank separating areas for drainage or defense.
The berm effectively redirected the rainwater.
Bank
The boundary of a river or stream.
Fishermen lined the bank early in the morning.
Berm
A mound of earth or stone used for protection.
Soldiers took cover behind the berm.
Bank
A bank is a financial institution that accepts deposits from the public and creates a demand deposit while simultaneously making loans. Lending activities can be directly performed by the bank or indirectly through capital markets.
Berm
A berm is a level space, shelf, or raised barrier (usually made of compacted soil) separating areas in a vertical way, especially part-way up a long slope. It can serve as a terrace road, track, path, a fortification line, a border/separation barrier for navigation, good drainage, industry, or other purposes.
Bank
A piled-up mass, as of snow or clouds; a heap
A bank of thunderclouds.
Berm
A flat strip of land, raised bank, or terrace bordering a river or canal.
Bank
A steep natural incline.
Berm
A narrow ledge or shelf, as along the top or bottom of a slope.
Bank
An artificial embankment.
Berm
Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, & West Virginia The shoulder of a road.
Bank
The slope of land adjoining a body of water, especially adjoining a river, lake, or channel.
Berm
A raised bank or path, especially the bank of a canal opposite the towpath.
Bank
A large elevated area of a sea floor.
Berm
A nearly horizontal or landward-sloping portion of a beach, formed by the deposition of sediment by storm waves.
Bank
(Games) The cushion of a billiard or pool table.
Berm
A mound or bank of earth, used especially as a barrier or to provide insulation.
Bank
The lateral inward tilting, as of a motor vehicle or an aircraft, in turning or negotiating a curve.
Berm
The flat space between the edge of a ditch and the base of a fortification.
Bank
A business establishment in which money is kept for saving or commercial purposes or is invested, supplied for loans, or exchanged.
Berm
To provide with a berm or berms.
Bank
The offices or building in which such an establishment is located.
Berm
A narrow ledge or shelf, as along the top or bottom of a slope.
Bank
The funds of a gambling establishment.
Berm
A raised bank or path, especially the bank of a canal opposite the towpath.
Bank
The funds held by a dealer or banker in certain games, especially gambling games.
Berm
A terrace formed by wave action along a beach.
Bank
The reserve pieces, cards, chips, or play money in some games, such as poker, from which the players may draw.
Berm
A mound or bank of earth, used especially as a barrier or to provide insulation.
Bank
A supply or stock for future or emergency use
A grain bank.
Berm
A ledge between the parapet and the moat in a fortification.
Bank
A place of safekeeping or storage
A computer's memory bank.
Berm
A strip of land between a street and sidewalk.
Bank
A set of elevators.
Berm
(Western Pennsylvania English) Edge of a road.
Bank
A row of keys on a keyboard.
Berm
To provide something with a berm
Bank
A bench for rowers in a galley.
Berm
A narrow shelf or path between the bottom of a parapet and the ditch.
Bank
A row of oars in a galley.
Berm
A ledge at the bottom of a bank or cutting, to catch earth that may roll down the slope, or to strengthen the bank.
Bank
(Printing) The lines of type under a headline.
Berm
A narrow ledge or shelf typically at the top or bottom of a slope
Bank
To border or protect with a ridge or embankment.
Berm
Narrow edge of land (usually unpaved) along the side of a road
Bank
To pile up; amass
Banked earth along the wall.
Bank
To cover (a fire), as with ashes or fresh fuel, to ensure continued low burning.
Bank
To construct with a slope rising to the outside edge
The turns on the racetrack were steeply banked.
Bank
To tilt (an aircraft) laterally and inwardly in flight.
Bank
To tilt (a motor vehicle) laterally and inwardly when negotiating a curve.
Bank
(Games) To strike (a billiard ball) so that it rebounds from the cushion of the table.
Bank
(Sports) To play (a ball or puck) in such a way as to make it glance off a surface, such as a backboard or wall.
Bank
To rise in or take the form of a bank.
Bank
To tilt an aircraft or a motor vehicle laterally when turning.
Bank
To deposit in a bank.
Bank
To store for future use.
Bank
To transact business with a bank or maintain a bank account.
Bank
To operate a bank.
Bank
To arrange or set up in a row
"Every street was banked with purple-blooming trees" (Doris Lessing).
Bank
(countable) An institution where one can place and borrow money and take care of financial affairs.
Bank
(countable) A branch office of such an institution.
Bank
(countable) An underwriter or controller of a card game.
Bank
(countable) A fund from deposits or contributions, to be used in transacting business; a joint stock or capital.
Bank
The sum of money etc. which the dealer or banker has as a fund from which to draw stakes and pay losses.
Bank
Money; profit.
Bank
(countable) In certain games, such as dominos, a fund of pieces from which the players are allowed to draw.
Bank
(countable) A device used to store coins or currency.
If you want to buy a bicycle, you need to put the money in your piggy bank.
Bank
(hydrology) An edge of river, lake, or other watercourse.
Bank
An elevation, or rising ground, under the sea; a shallow area of shifting sand, gravel, mud, and so forth (for example, a sandbank or mudbank).
The banks of Newfoundland
Bank
(geography) A slope of earth, sand, etc.; an embankment.
Bank
(aviation) The incline of an aircraft, especially during a turn.
Bank
(rail) An incline, a hill.
Bank
A mass noun for a quantity of clouds.
The bank of clouds on the horizon announced the arrival of the predicted storm front.
Bank
(mining) The face of the coal at which miners are working.
Bank
(mining) A deposit of ore or coal, worked by excavations above water level.
Bank
(mining) The ground at the top of a shaft.
Ores are brought to bank.
Bank
A row or panel of items stored or grouped together.
A bank of switches
A bank of pay phones
Bank
A row of keys on a musical keyboard or the equivalent on a typewriter keyboard.
Bank
(computing) A contiguous block of memory that is of fixed, hardware-dependent size, but often larger than a page and partitioning the memory such that two distinct banks do not overlap.
Bank
(pinball) A set of multiple adjacent drop targets.
Bank
A bench, as for rowers in a galley; also, a tier of oars.
Bank
A bench or seat for judges in court.
Bank
The regular term of a court of law, or the full court sitting to hear arguments upon questions of law, as distinguished from a sitting at nisi prius, or a court held for jury trials. See banc
Bank
A kind of table used by printers.
Bank
(music) A bench, or row of keys belonging to a keyboard, as in an organ.
Bank
(uncountable) slang for money
Bank
(intransitive) To deal with a bank or financial institution, or for an institution to provide financial services to a client.
He banked with Barclays.
Bank
(transitive) To put into a bank.
I'm going to bank the money.
Bank
To conceal in the rectum for use in prison.
Johnny banked some coke for me.
Bank
To roll or incline laterally in order to turn.
Bank
(transitive) To cause (an aircraft) to bank.
Bank
(transitive) To form into a bank or heap, to bank up.
To bank sand
Bank
(transitive) To cover the embers of a fire with ashes in order to retain heat.
Bank
(transitive) To raise a mound or dike about; to enclose, defend, or fortify with a bank; to embank.
Bank
To pass by the banks of.
Bank
To provide additional power for a train ascending a bank (incline) by attaching another locomotive.
Bank
To arrange or order in a row.
Bank
A mound, pile, or ridge of earth, raised above the surrounding level; hence, anything shaped like a mound or ridge of earth; as, a bank of clouds; a bank of snow.
They cast up a bank against the city.
Bank
A steep acclivity, as the slope of a hill, or the side of a ravine.
Bank
The margin of a watercourse; the rising ground bordering a lake, river, or sea, or forming the edge of a cutting, or other hollow.
Tiber trembled underneath her banks.
Bank
An elevation, or rising ground, under the sea; a shoal, shelf, or shallow; as, the banks of Newfoundland.
Bank
The face of the coal at which miners are working.
Bank
The lateral inclination of an aëroplane as it rounds a curve; as, a bank of 45° is easy; a bank of 90° is dangerous.
Bank
A group or series of objects arranged near together; as, a bank of electric lamps, etc.
Bank
The tilt of a roadway or railroad, at a curve in the road, designed to counteract centrifugal forces acting on vehicles moving rapiudly around the curve, thus reducing the danger of overturning during a turn.
Bank
A bench, as for rowers in a galley; also, a tier of oars.
Placed on their banks, the lusty Trojan sweepNeptune's smooth face, and cleave the yielding deep.
Bank
The bench or seat upon which the judges sit.
Bank
A sort of table used by printers.
Bank
A bench, or row of keys belonging to a keyboard, as in an organ.
Bank
An establishment for the custody, loan, exchange, or issue, of money, and for facilitating the transmission of funds by drafts or bills of exchange; an institution incorporated for performing one or more of such functions, or the stockholders (or their representatives, the directors), acting in their corporate capacity.
Bank
The building or office used for banking purposes.
Bank
A fund to be used in transacting business, especially a joint stock or capital.
Let it be no bank or common stock, but every man be master of his own money.
Bank
The sum of money or the checks which the dealer or banker has as a fund, from which to draw his stakes and pay his losses.
Bank
In certain games, as dominos, a fund of pieces from which the players are allowed to draw; in Monopoly, the fund of money used to pay bonuses due to the players, or to which they pay fines.
Bank
A place where something is stored and held available for future use;
Bank
To raise a mound or dike about; to inclose, defend, or fortify with a bank; to embank.
Bank
To heap or pile up; as, to bank sand.
Bank
To pass by the banks of.
Bank
To build (a roadway or railroad) with an inclination at a curve in the road, so as to counteract centrifugal forces acting on vehicles moving rapiudly around the curve, thus reducing the danger of vehicles overturning at a curve; as, the raceway was steeply banked at the curves.
Bank
To deposit in a bank.
Bank
To keep a bank; to carry on the business of a banker.
Bank
To deposit money in a bank; to have an account with a banker.
Bank
To tilt sidewise in rounding a curve; - said of a flying machine, an aërocurve, or the like.
Bank
A financial institution that accepts deposits and channels the money into lending activities;
He cashed a check at the bank
That bank holds the mortgage on my home
Bank
Sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water);
They pulled the canoe up on the bank
He sat on the bank of the river and watched the currents
Bank
A supply or stock held in reserve for future use (especially in emergencies)
Bank
A building in which commercial banking is transacted;
The bank is on the corner of Nassau and Witherspoon
Bank
An arrangement of similar objects in a row or in tiers;
He operated a bank of switches
Bank
A container (usually with a slot in the top) for keeping money at home;
The coin bank was empty
Bank
A long ridge or pile;
A huge bank of earth
Bank
The funds held by a gambling house or the dealer in some gambling games;
He tried to break the bank at Monte Carlo
Bank
A slope in the turn of a road or track; the outside is higher than the inside in order to reduce the effects of centrifugal force
Bank
A flight maneuver; aircraft tips laterally about its longitudinal axis (especially in turning);
The plane went into a steep bank
Bank
Tip laterally;
The pilot had to bank the aircraft
Bank
Enclose with a bank;
Bank roads
Bank
Do business with a bank or keep an account at a bank;
Where do you bank in this town?
Bank
Act as the banker in a game or in gambling
Bank
Be in the banking business
Bank
Put into a bank account;
She deposites her paycheck every month
Bank
Cover with ashes so to control the rate of burning;
Bank a fire
Bank
Have confidence or faith in;
We can trust in God
Rely on your friends
Bank on your good education
I swear by my grandmother's recipes
Common Curiosities
Can berms be found near water bodies like banks?
Yes, berms can be constructed near water bodies for flood control or erosion prevention, but they are man-made.
Are all berms built for flood control?
No, berms serve various purposes, including flood control, noise reduction, privacy, and as aesthetic elements in landscaping.
What is the primary difference between a bank and a berm?
A bank is a natural landform alongside water bodies, while a berm is an artificial earthwork or raised barrier.
What materials are used to construct berms?
Berms can be made from soil, sand, gravel, rock, or even concrete, depending on their intended use.
Is maintenance required for both banks and berms?
Banks require minimal human intervention but can benefit from conservation efforts. Berms need regular maintenance to ensure their effectiveness.
Can the construction of a berm impact local ecosystems?
Yes, improper placement or construction of berms can affect local drainage patterns and wildlife habitats.
Do banks and berms serve ecological functions?
Banks naturally support aquatic ecosystems; berms have limited ecological benefits unless specifically designed for habitat creation.
How do berms prevent erosion?
By acting as barriers, berms help to deflect water flow and reduce the speed of runoff, minimizing soil erosion.
Can the shape of a bank change over time?
Yes, banks are naturally reshaped by the flow of water and sediment deposition.
How do banks affect river ecosystems?
Banks provide habitat for wildlife and help contain the water, influencing the river's flow and health.
How are berms integrated into urban planning?
Berms are often used in urban areas for noise reduction, privacy, and as protective barriers against elements.
How does the presence of a bank influence recreational activities?
Banks often become sites for recreational activities like fishing, picnicking, and hiking, providing access to water bodies.
Do banks play a role in flood management?
Naturally, banks help manage flooding by containing rivers and streams within their course.
Can berms enhance the aesthetic appeal of an area?
Yes, when designed with landscaping in mind, berms can add beauty and interest to an area.
Are there any regulations governing the construction of berms?
Yes, local and national regulations may dictate the construction of berms, especially when related to water management or urban development.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
