Late-stage Meander Growth

Abstract

Meanders, bars and riffles were manned on the river rheidol, wales, at lovesgrove in 1951 and 1971. The low-flow channel is irregular in width and dependent on bedform at all but the highest flows, but approximately even spacing of riffles is maintained, despite growth of one meander loop and the artificial cutoff and redevelopment of another. On the rheidol, three pools occur on the 1971 westerly meander loop, and the single loop is beginning to subdivide. In fact, the channel had already done so to a greater extent, but was artificially reconstructed to a single curve of trapezoidal cross-section, which it once more started to distort. The process is continuing.