Ridge and swale

An aerial photograph of the meandering course of the Red River in Lafayette and Miller counties, Arkansas. It shows point bars, abandoned meander loops, ox bow lakes, and ridge and swale topography associated with the active course of the river

Ridge and swale, or in dunal areas dune and swale, is a landform consisting of regular, parallel ridges alternating with marshy depressions.[1] Ridge-and-swale landscapes are most commonly formed by the gradual movement of a beach, for example as a result of gradually fluctuating water levels, or the shifting meanders of a river. In the river context, ridge-and-swale landscapes are commonly formed by scroll bars.[2] They are also found along ocean coasts, for example on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.[3]

  1. ^ Schoon 2016, p. 9.
  2. ^ Kirstie A. Fryirs; Gary J. Brierley (2012). Geomorphic Analysis of River Systems. ISBN 978-1-118-30544-7.
  3. ^ Dirk Frankenberg (2012). The Nature of the Outer Banks. ISBN 978-0-8078-7237-6.