Meander scar
Encyclopedia
A meander scar, occasionally meander scarp, is a geological feature formed by the remnants of a meander
ing water channel. They are characterized by "a crescentic cut in a bluff or valley wall, produced by...a meandering stream." They are often formed during the creation of oxbow lake
s.
The term itself may refer alternatively to the actual cuts into the bank of a bluff, or to the general feature of a drying or dried meander
. Both uses, however, describe features of the same process.
Meander scars are caused by the varying velocities of current within the river channel. Due to higher velocity current on the outer banks of the river through the bend, more erosion
occurs causing the characteristic steep outer slopes. In certain habitats, if the scar has sufficient water, or as an oxbow lake fills with sediment, these areas may become marshes or wetlands.
Meander
A meander in general is a bend in a sinuous watercourse. A meander is formed when the moving water in a stream erodes the outer banks and widens its valley. A stream of any volume may assume a meandering course, alternately eroding sediments from the outside of a bend and depositing them on the...
ing water channel. They are characterized by "a crescentic cut in a bluff or valley wall, produced by...a meandering stream." They are often formed during the creation of oxbow lake
Oxbow lake
An oxbow lake is a U-shaped body of water formed when a wide meander from the main stem of a river is cut off to create a lake. This landform is called an oxbow lake for the distinctive curved shape, named after part of a yoke for oxen. In Australia, an oxbow lake is called a billabong, derived...
s.
The term itself may refer alternatively to the actual cuts into the bank of a bluff, or to the general feature of a drying or dried meander
Meander
A meander in general is a bend in a sinuous watercourse. A meander is formed when the moving water in a stream erodes the outer banks and widens its valley. A stream of any volume may assume a meandering course, alternately eroding sediments from the outside of a bend and depositing them on the...
. Both uses, however, describe features of the same process.
Meander scars are caused by the varying velocities of current within the river channel. Due to higher velocity current on the outer banks of the river through the bend, more erosion
Erosion
Erosion is when materials are removed from the surface and changed into something else. It only works by hydraulic actions and transport of solids in the natural environment, and leads to the deposition of these materials elsewhere...
occurs causing the characteristic steep outer slopes. In certain habitats, if the scar has sufficient water, or as an oxbow lake fills with sediment, these areas may become marshes or wetlands.