What is Oxbow lake?

By MindStick

An oxbow lake is a U-shaped body of water formed when a river's wide meander is cut off, typically found in flat, low-lying areas.

When a river erodes the concave walls of a meander, it creates a land neck that connects the meander to the main river channel.

Land thins out over time until a river cuts through it, resulting in a shortened channel for river flow and an abandoned meander as a lake.

It ranges from a few acres to several square miles, and are vital habitats for wildlife and recreational activities like fishing, boating & swimming.

Grand Chain of Lakes in Missouri, Mississippi River Delta in Louisiana, Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia and Florida & Great Salt Lake in Utah are examples

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