What is an ox-bow lake?

An oxbow is a crescent-shaped lake lying alongside a winding river.

1. The oxbow lake is created over time as erosion and deposits of soil change the river's course.

2. Erosion and deposition cause a new channel to be cut through the small piece of land at the narrow end of the meander.

3. The river makes a shortcut. Oxbow lakes are the remains of the bend in the river.

4. These are stillwater lakes. This means that water does not flow into or out of them. There is no stream or spring feeding the lake, and it doesn't have a natural outlet.