 Have you ever wondered why rivers and streams do not flow in a straight path, but instead have meanders and bends? Meanders and rivers are created by two major factors. First, the type of sediment and the soil that compose the sides and bottom of a river channel. And second, the amount of force exerted by flowing water in the river. When the stress of flowing water is exerted on a weak spot in the river channel, sediment is moved and a bend begins to form. The sediment is placed further down the river. The weak spot is continually eroded away until a bend is developed. The gradient or slope that a river passes over also affects the meanders of a river. With a steeper slope, water flows at a higher velocity and therefore can remove higher amounts of sediment. The balance between sediment, water, and slope all affect how a river looks and the amount of meanders a river will have. Flowing floods are often a major factor for the development of new meanders and bends in a river. So the next time you are out exploring the nature of Wyoming, hopefully you have a little bit better idea why rivers and streams have meanders. From the University of Wyoming Extension, I'm Brian Sebade, Exploring the Nature of Wyoming.