Reducing energy), encouraging further deposition. This increased friction further reduces the velocity (thus further In contrast, on the inner bend water is slow flowing, due to it being a low energy zone, deposition occurs resulting in a shallower channel. Results in undercutting of the river bank and the formation of a steep sided river cliff.Ģ. Increase in energy results in greater erosion. Which deepens the channel, in turn the reduction in friction and This is due to water being flung towards the outer bend as it flows around the meander, this causes greater erosion Water flows fastest on the outer bend of the river where the channel is deeper and there is less friction. In lowland areas which results in lateral (sideways) erosion being moreĭominant than vertical erosion, causing the channel to cut into itsġ. Meanders form due to the greater volume of water carried by the river Meanders are typical landforms at the middle and lower courses of a river. Meander scar - feature left behind when the water in an ox-bow lake dries up. The term meander is one which refers to a winding curve or bend in a river.Result in the straightening of the river channel and the old meanderīend becomes cut off forming an ox-bow lake. In the eventual cut through of the neck as two outer bends join. a lake formed when the continued narrowing of a meander neck results Slip off Slope - a small beach found on the inside of a meander bend where deposition has occured in the low energy zone.River Cliff - a small cliff formed on the outside of a meander bend due to erosion in this high energy zone.In cross-section with a more extensive floodplain.ĭistinctive features of the river in the middle course is its increasedĥ.Unlike the relatively straight channel of the upper course, in the middle course there are many meanders (bends) in the river. Its surrounding valley has also become wider and flatter The velocity of flow may be as fast as in the uplands.ģ. The river channel has become much wider and deeperĪs the channel has been eroded and the river has been fed by many