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Morphometric definitions and classifications of Oxbow Lakes, Yukon River Basin, Alaska
Author(s) -
Weihaupt John G.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/wr013i001p00195
Subject(s) - meander (mathematics) , floodplain , geology , hydrology (agriculture) , drainage basin , physical geography , geography , cartography , geotechnical engineering , geometry , mathematics
Although oxbow lakes are seldom studied except as subsidiary topics in papers dealing with floodplains or river meanders, they are important because of the information that they can provide about (1) the processes affecting river meanders and meander cutoff, (2) the character and environments of the ancient rivers from which they formed, and (3) the nature and evolution of the oxbow lakes themselves. This paper suggests definitions, classifications, and morphometric techniques for studying oxbow lakes. The morphometric techniques are based upon oxbow lake shapes, dimensions, variable components, degree of complexity, degree of oxbow lake limb closure, and oxbow lake symmetry. These characteristics may be used as the basis for quantitative study.