The Formation of Meanders and Ox-Bow Lakes Varun Tumuluru
Arvian Hesketh
Carlotta Paone
10/02/14
1
River Landforms:
FIGURE 1: RIVER LANDFORMS1
Figure 1 depicts the various different landforms that a formed across a river basin, and from the
source to the mouth can include tributaries; confluences; deltas; levees; meanders; ox-bow lakes and
so on. This factsheet will focus primarily on the formation of meanders and ox-bow lakes.
1 (Podbury, 2013)
The Formation of Meanders and Ox-Bow Lakes Varun Tumuluru
Arvian Hesketh
Carlotta Paone
10/02/14
2
Meanders: are often located in the middle course of rivers, they are winding curves or bends in
rivers2
FIGURE 2: MEANDER CROSS-SECTION3
Figur ...view middle of the document...
On the inside
bend of the meander it is shallower (it has a smaller hydraulic radius) so more friction from the rivers
bed and bed load act upon the water, slowing it down. On the outside of the bend a steep river cliff
forms where the processes of hydraulic action and abrasion erode the outside of the bend. As the
velocity slows on the inside of the bend critical deposition velocity is often reached and deposition
occurs. This creates a slip off slope.
Ox-Bow Lakes6: a curved lake formed from a horseshoe bend in a river where the main stream has cut across the narrow end and no longer flows around the loop of the bend.7
FIGURE 4: OX-BOW LAKE FORMATION8
5 (Gamesby, n.d.) 6 (Rosenberg, 2000) 7 (Oxford University Press, 2014) 8 (Gamesby, n.d.)
The Formation of Meanders and Ox-Bow Lakes Varun Tumuluru
Arvian Hesketh
Carlotta Paone
10/02/14
4
Figure 4 depicts the formation of Ox-bow lakes in a meandering river. Detailed stages are outlined
below:
1. Erosion of the river's banks causes the river to move laterally across the flood plain.
2. The meander's neck will become narrow.
3. Two of the outside edges of the meanders are drawn closer together until they meet.
4. The river then takes the fastest route. Depositing material on the insides of the meander loop, cutting it off from the rest of the river.
5. The result is an ox-...