Incised meander
Also called: Entrenched meander · Topic: Landforms and their Evolution: Rivers, Groundwater, Glaciers, Waves and Wind · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 6 "Landforms and their Evolution"
Meaning
An incised meander is a deep, wide river bend cut into hard rock. It forms when a river that already winds across a plain gets new cutting power. This can happen when the land is uplifted or the base level falls, which is called rejuvenation. The river then cuts straight down but keeps its old loops. So these meanders are a clue that the land was uplifted. Another name is entrenched meander.
Example
The Goosenecks of the San Juan River in Utah, USA, are tight loops cut hundreds of metres deep into rock.
Don't confuse with
- Free meander: a free meander is a loop on a soft floodplain. Its outer bank is cut and sediment builds up on its inner bank, so it shifts easily and can leave oxbow lakes. An incised meander is locked into hard rock.