ox bow lake

• an ox bow lake is an example of erosion and deposition
• ox bow lake

  a small, horseshoe-shaped lake that is located several metres from a fairly straight section of river
• where are ox bow lakes found?

  in the middle and lower courses eg welshpool on the river severn
• characteristics of an ox bow lake:

  • steep drop down to the lake on the curve from an old river cliff
  • gentle slip off slope into the lake on the inside bend
  • fairly stagnant water, rainfall will increase the water
  • evaporation will decrease the water
  • marsh plants colonise the edges
• what landform is this an example of?

  its an ox bow lake

  
• stage 1

  over time, as meanders migrate across the valley floor due to lateral erosion, the loops begin to erode toward each other
• stage 2

  gradually, the neck of the meander narrows until it is completely broken
• stage 3

  usually durin a flood it then cuts a new channel straight across. over time, the loop becomes increasingly detached and marsh plants colonise the edge until it is left completely separate
• stage 4

  if the ox bow lake becomes infilled due to a lack of water, it will be known as a meander scar