Processes Forming River Landscapes - Middle Course - BBC Bitesize

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Formation of meanders and ox-bow lake in the middle course of a river.

Water twists and turns around stones and other obstructions resulting in areas of slower and faster water movement.
The river starts to flow from side to side in a winding course but still in a relatively straight channel.
Water moving faster has more energy to erode. This occurs on the outside of the bend and forms a river cliff.
The river erodes the outside bends through corrasion, corrosion and hydraulic action.
Water moves slowly on the inside of the bend and the river deposits some load, forming a river beach/slip-off slope.
Continuous erosion on the outer bank and deposition on the inner bank forms a meander in the river.
The meander will migrate downstream and change shape over time.

The river is meandering across the valley.
The river is eroding laterally (from side to side).
The river flows faster on the outside bends and erodes them.
The river flows slowly on the inside bends and deposits material so its course is changing.
Continual erosion and deposition narrows the neck of the meander.
Often during a flood the river will cut through the neck.
The river continues on its straighter path and the meander is abandoned.
New deposition seals off the ends and the cut-off becomes an oxbow lake that will eventually dry up.

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