Landforms Flashcards
What are meanders?
Meanders are bends in a river. They are formed in the middle course of the river, where erosion generally tends to focus towards the outer bend. Abrasion erodes the outer bed by deposition, this develops a river cliff. Deposition occurs on the inner bend and creates a river cliff.
What are interlocking spurs?
Interlocking spurs are forced due to the rivers inability to erode the harder layers of sediment. The river winds around these layers, a series of hills begin to form on either side of the river. As the river flows around these hills they become interlocked.
Interlocking spurs are often found in the upper course of the a river valley.
What is an ox-bow lake?
An ox-bow lake is formed within the inner bend of a meander, receiving more deposition and the outer bend going through erosion, this makes the neck of the meander more narrow and when flooding takes place, a straight channel is formed between both sides of the bend.
What are floodplains?
Floodplains are located in the lower course of the river. The ground is usually of a low height and is filled with sediment from the river. The floodplains are subject to flooding.
What are Levees?
Levees are barriers of sediment that are created by a build up of sediment (natural levees)
