- 2081 Baisakh (new course) · 2 marks
Straight versus meandering river channel
Short answer
A straight channel is nearly straight with sinuosity below 1.05, steep, stable, found in rock valleys. A meandering channel is sinuous (sinuosity >1.5), gentle, shifts laterally with outer bank erosion and inner bank deposition, forming point bars and ox-bows.
Differentiate between straight and meandering river channel systems.
| Point | Straight channel | Meandering channel |
|---|---|---|
| Plan shape | Nearly straight | Sinuous, S-shaped loops |
| Sinuosity | Less than 1.05 | Greater than 1.5 |
| Slope | Steep | Gentle |
| Location | Hill region, rock valleys | Plains, floodplains |
| Erosion and deposition | Little lateral movement | Outer bank erosion, inner bank deposition (point bar) |
| Stability | Stable | Shifts and migrates, forms ox-bow lakes |
| Features | Rapids, gorges | Meanders, point bars, ox-bows |
✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)
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