Which of the following processes is primarily responsible for the formation of oxbow lakes along meandering river courses in their mature stage?

💡 Solution & Explanation

Oxbow lakes form through continuous lateral erosion on the outer bank of a meander bend where water velocity is high, paired with deposition on the inner bank where velocity is low. Over time, the neck of the meander loop narrows until floodwaters breach it during high flow events, abandoning the old loop and forming a crescent-shaped water body. Vertical down-cutting characterizes the youthful stage of river valleys rather than meanders. Meander migration is a fundamental process in alluvial floodplain geomorphology.