Meander

• 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.

Oxbow lake

• 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.