Topic Summaries

Fluvial landforms resulting from erosion and deposition

IGCSE > Geography > CIE > IGCSE Geography Topic Summaries > Fluvial landform processes > Fluvial landforms resulting from erosion and deposition
Previous Module
Next Module

Weather hazards and atmospheric circulation

Tropical storm hazards

Responding to tropical storms

Hot desert ecosystems

Cold environment ecosystems

Glacial landscapes

Glacial landform processes

Water supply

  • Meanders: large bends in the river, typically found in the middle/lower courses. The outer bend has a river cliff due to erosion, while the inner bend has a slip-off slope due to deposition. The are formed when: 
    • The river flows faster on the outer bend of a meander, increasing erosion through hydraulic action and abrasion
    • Lateral erosion undercuts the riverbank, forming a river cliff
    • On the inner bend, the water flows slower due to friction, leading to deposition of material like sand and shingle, forming a slip-off slope
  • Ox-bow lakes: a crescent-shaped lake formed when a meander is cut off from the main channel, found in the lower course of a river. They are formed when:
    • Lateral erosion on the outer bends of a meander causes the bends to move closer, narrowing the meander neck. 
    • In a flood the river cuts through the neck creating a straight channel
    • Deposition seals off the old meander, leaving an ox-bow lake.

Unlock Fluvial landforms resulting from erosion and deposition

Subscribe to SnapRevise+ to get immediate access to the rest of this resource.

Premium accounts get immediate access to this resource.

Previous Module
Next Module