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

💡 Solution & Explanation

Oxbow lakes form in the mature stage of a river through continuous lateral erosion on the outer banks of a meander and deposition on the inner banks, eventually resulting in a neck cut-off during floods. Vertical deposition and aggradation are characteristic of braided river beds rather than the formation of isolated crescent-shaped lakes.