Rivers, Middle Course

Meanders occur in the mid course and lower course of the river, where it is beginning to cut laterally as it gets closer to base level. Meanders are basically bends in the river, where the faster water on the outside of the bend has cut into the bank, eroding it and creating a river cliff. At the same time the slow moving water on the inside of the bend deposits its load, building up a shallow slip-off slope. Meanders migrate downstream as they cut through the valley sides.This creates a line of parallel cliffs along the sides of the valley.

the rapid lateral erosion cuts into the neck of the meander, narrowing it considerably. Eventually the force of the river breaks through the neck, and as this is the easiest way for the water to go, the old meanderis left without any significant amount of water flowing through it. Quickly the river deposits material along the side of its new course, which completely block off the old meander, creating an ox-bow lake.