ABSTRACT
River meanders are major features on the Earth sur-
face, which are characterized by shallows at the inside
and deep scour holes at the outside of bends. The zone
with maximum flow depth, called pool, and the maxi-
mum bend scour in the pool are the major parameters
with respect to erosion at the outer bank and meander
migration. The submergence of the zone of minimum
flow depth, called point bar or riffle, varies with the
flow stage, giving rise to spatio-temporal variations
in flow and sedimentologic characteristics that makes
it a hotspot for biodiversity. Developing vegetation at
low flow stages stabilizes the point bar and plays an
important role in accretion at the inner bank. Meander
migration continuously reshapes the land and rejuve-
nates the floodplain. The highly dynamical character
of meanders poses practical problems: bank erosion
endangers property and leads to loss of fertile soil,
the loss/gain of land at the outer/inner bank and the
shifting boundaries are a legal concern, the variable
depth and width complicate navigation, the continuous
reworking of the meander belt leads to a heterogeneous
sediment stratigraphy that complicates the exploita-
tion of drinking water or hydrocarburates. But the
dynamical meander belt offers an important retention
capacity during flood events and it is a landscape
element of great ecological value that offers a high
potential for river restoration and revitalization. It is
a challenge in river management and engineering to
conciliate these threats and opportunities.
