River Meandering

06/10/25

“Why do rivers curve?”

Rivers carry water from one source to another. Sometimes, the rivers run straight. But other times, the land on one side of the river offers less resistance than the other. This makes it easier for the river to bend towards this side. When that happens, more water will flow to that side, and less to the other, creating a bulge in the side of less resistance. The water will then slam harder into the other side after moving through the bulge, creating a sinusoidal bulge pattern for the river. This River Meandering is a fundamental part of how rivers affect local landscapes.