Oxbow lakes

Connected Sites: 10

Definition
An oxbow lake is a U-shaped body of water formed when a wide meander from the main stem of a river is cut off to create a lake. This landform is called an oxbow lake for the distinctive curved shape, named after part of a yoke for oxen. In Australia, an oxbow lake is called a billabong.

Map

Connected Sites

  • Kakadu National Park
    Kakadu National Park
    Australia
    Inscribed: 1981
    3.85
    92
    9
    Yellow Water Billabong
  • Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve
    Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve
    Honduras
    Inscribed: 1982
    3.14
    7
    4
    "This reserve protects nearly the entire watershed of the 100km long Platano River, as well as major portions of the Paulaya, Guampu and Sicre Rivers. The rugged mountainous headwaters region, encompassing 75% of the reserve, is flanked by the Platano River and rises to Punta Piedra (1,326m). The river basin drains an area of some 130,000ha and meanders considerably in the lowland region, marooning several ox-bow lakes. "
  • Kaziranga National Park
    Kaziranga National Park
    India
    Inscribed: 1985
    3.56
    23
    3
    "The gangetic dolphin is also found in some of the closed oxbow lakes." (AB)
  • Pantanal
    Pantanal
    Brazil
    Inscribed: 2000
    3.72
    41
    2
    See link page 4 table 1 for examples actually inside the inscribed areas e.g "Acurizal Preserve - Oxbow lake (shallow)"
    See www.scielo.br
  • Chitwan National Park
    Chitwan National Park
    Nepal
    Inscribed: 1984
    3.28
    89
    11

    See www.oocities.org
  • Wood Buffalo National Park
    Wood Buffalo National Park
    Canada
    Inscribed: 1983
    2.82
    12
    4
    "The delta, with the lowlands and floodplains of the Peace, Athabasca and Slave Rivers exemplify classic fluvial landforms, with a complex series of meander scars, oxbow lakes, ... " Taken from this IUCN documentation
    See www.unep-wcmc-apps.org
  • Srebarna Nature Reserve
    Srebarna Nature Reserve
    Bulgaria
    Inscribed: 1983
    1.37
    80
    7
    Srebarna Lake (an oxbow of the Danube)
  • Manu National Park
    Manu National Park
    Peru
    Inscribed: 1987
    3.74
    30
    5
    Lake Salvador and Lake Otorongo
  • Danube Delta
    Danube Delta
    Romania
    Inscribed: 1991
    3.11
    81
    7
    See the map in the AB eval - Lake Belciug (No 18). And elsewhere in this paper .. "The right side includes oxbows with permanent vegetation, surrounded by the Sulina arm except during periods of high floods"
    See www.midcc.at
  • Kladruby nad Labem
    Kladruby nad Labem
    Czechia
    Inscribed: 2019
    2.12
    96
    8
    The Kladruby nad Labem stud farm occupies a flat terrain, still preserving the remains of oxbow lakes (AB ev)