Page 240 - Fundamentals of Geomorphology

FLUVIAL LANDSCAPES 223

() Bed load Mixed load Suspended load
a
Straight Straight Straight

Meandering
Meandering
Meandering thalweg

Anastomosing
Braided Island braided

b
() Laterally inactive channels Laterally active channels
Straight-island form
Meandering

Straight-ridge form

Braided

Sinuous-stable

Single-channel Anabranching Single-channel Anabranching
rivers rivers rivers rivers

Figure 9.1 Classifications of channel patterns. (a) Channel form classified according to channel pattern (straight,
meandering, braided, and anastomosing) and sediment load (suspended load, suspended-load and bed-load mix, bed
load). (b) A classification of river patterns that includes single-channel and anabranching forms.
Sources: (a) Adapted from Schumm (1981, 1985b) and Knighton and Nanson (1993); (b) Adapted from Nanson and
Knighton (1996)