Meanders and Levees

Question 1

What/Where are meanders formed?

Answer 1

Meanders are bends in the rivers course and are a result of velocity of the water in the river across its channel. There is more water carried by the river in lowland areas which results in lateral erosion

Question 2

What/Where are meanders formed?

Answer 2

Meanders are bends in the rivers course and are a result of velocity of the water in the river across its channel. There is more water carried by the river in lowland areas which results in lateral erosion, causing the channel to cut its banks forming meanders.

Question 3

Describe the processes of meanders.

Answer 3

The water in a river flows naturally in a helical flow. Meanders are a result of differences in velocity. The water flows fastest on the outer bend of the river, where the channel is deeper and there’s less friction. On the outside bend there is vertical erosion (due to helical flows) which deepens the river channel, causing greater erosion which deepens the channel in turn the reduction of friction and increase in energy. It causes a river cliff to form on the bank. The helical flow transports the sediment to the inner bank where the water moves slower, therefore the sediment is deposited which forms slip-off slopes.

Question 4

How are levees formed?

Answer 4

At the lower stages, the velocity has increased due to larger volumes of water because of less friction and more tributaries. During periods of heavy rainfall can cause the banks to burst. The water is carried over shallow landscape which increases friction. As the velocity decreases the sediment is deposited on land. Over a period of several floods, natural levees are formed.

Question 5

How are floodplains formed?

Answer 5

Floodplains form due to both erosion and deposition.

Question 6

Form a cross section of a levee/floodplain.

Answer 6

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