annotate a series of three diagrams to show the development of an oxbow lake
Diagram 1:
- River flowing in a meandering pattern, with a wide curve as it approaches a bend in the river
- Over time, the river erodes the outer bank of the bend, creating a more pronounced curve
- Deposition occurs on the inside of the bend, forming a point bar
- Water continues to flow along the meander, creating a narrow neck of land separating the bend from the main river
Diagram 2:
- The erosion on the outer bank of the bend continues to increase, creating a more pronounced curve and narrowing the neck of land
- Deposition on the inside of the curve continues, forming a larger point bar
- Eventually, the erosion cuts through the narrow neck of land, connecting the bend to the main river
- The river now flows along a new, straighter path, bypassing the bend
Diagram 3:
- The meander cutoff is now fully formed as an oxbow lake, completely separated from the main river
- Vegetation begins to grow in and around the oxbow lake
- The oxbow lake continues to change over time as sediment accumulates and vegetation grows further
- The original path of the river is now abandoned, with the oxbow lake remaining as a permanent feature in the landscape.