Theory 78/River & Floodplain/Meander migration
Migration Is Erodibility Against Flow
The claim
Meander migration rate is set by the ratio of bank erodibility to flow energy, so a moderate river in weak banks migrates faster than a large one in resistant banks.
01Mechanism
Lateral erosion requires the bank to fail; the ratio determines the rate at which the channel shifts.
02Prediction
Migration should track the ratio.
03Refutation
Migration tracking discharge would remove erodibility.