Oxbow lakes form when tributaries merge with the

main river channel

Rivers meander only in flat coastal plains and

never in mountainous terrain

Slower water on the outside of bends erodes

soil, while faster water on the inside washes away sediment

Helicoidal

flow moves sediment from the inner bank to the outer bank, straightening the

channel

Faster water on the outside of bends erodes soil

while slower water on the inside deposits sediment