Formation of meandering streams in a young floodplain within the Yarlung
Tsangpo Grand Canyon in the Tibetan Plateau
Abstract
The Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon in southern Tibetan Plateau typically
features incised bedrock and wide braided rivers. Yet, a recent
discovery of two unique meandering streams within a young floodplain
Cuoka offers insights into the formation of meandering rivers. Within
the Cuoka floodplain, stratified layers of silty clay and root soil
composite of 1.56m are deposited on the original lateral moraine basin.
The sedimentation can be related to the damming of the floodplain’s
mainstream, the Parlung Tsangpo River, in 1950s’ that backwaters the
floodplain while promoting deposition of fine particles. This study
highlights the primary factors behind the formation of these meandering
streams: floodplain formation, valley slope leveling, cohesive
deposition with dense riparian vegetation, and meandering initiation due
to alternate bars or local discontinuities. Notably, the main and
tributary streams within the floodplain exhibit distinct geometric and
morphological features (topography, wavelength, curvature) that suggest
different formative causes.