Meanders And Oxbow Lakes

Question 1

What is a meander?

Answer 1

A bend on the river

Question 2

Where is the fastest flow and slowest flow of a meander?

Answer 2

Fastest flow on outside and slowest flow on inside

Question 3

What does hydraulic action do to the inside of the river channel?

Answer 3

Deepens it

Question 4

How does a steep river cliff form?

Answer 4

Force of water erodes and undercuts the river bank forming a steep river cliff

Question 5

What happens on the inside of the bend where river flow is slower?

Answer 5

Material is deposited (as there is more friction). This forms a slip off slope.

Question 6

What is an oxbow lake?

Answer 6

An isolated, u shaped lake that forms when a wide meander of a river is cut off.

Question 7

How is an oxbow lake created

Answer 7

Meander starts as slight bend
Outside of bend is eroded away
Material is deposited on inside of bend
Erosion + deposition turns bend into a meander
Meander bends more and more until it becomes tight loop
When water level is high river has enough energy to go straight across loop rather than around it
This is called a meander cut off
River keeps to new channel so loop left as an oxbow lake
After a long time oxbow lake silts up + dries out, plants then grow in it