Geography
Why River Meander Cutoffs Create Oxbow Lakes and Wetland Patches
Quick fact
Meander cutoffs are not just occasional accidents—they are a primary way rivers reshape their floodplains, creating oxbow lakes that over centuries become meadows, and explaining why many wetlands are found along river valleys.
Why this is interesting
You've probably seen a crescent-shaped lake along a river and wondered why it's not connected. How does a river abandon its own path, leaving behind a lake?