These pictures are from the Mississippi River as it runs through my hometown. The first picture is in late summer, as evidence by the very low water level of the river. In the spring when all the melt runoff from the snow flows into the river, the river is much higher, and causes flooding along the banks, which in bad years can cause flooded homes and closed roads along the riverbank. The second picture was taken in the winter (evidence by the snow). Due to the nuclear plant about a mile away from where this picture was taken,  the river remains mostly open and unfrozen  for the winter.  It’s not uncommon to see large chunks of ice go floating down the river, but the river itself is unfrozen.