Taking a Gander at Utah’s Goosenecks
The San Juan River has carved deep, tightly looping meanders into the desert, creating pronounced winding channels. These improbably curving cuts show how rivers can sculpt dramatic landforms even in arid terrain.
Originally published by NASA: First briefed by The Daily Lift: Last updated:
Why this is good news
The San Juan River's deep, tightly looping meanders show that river erosion can produce pronounced winding channels even in arid regions. That observed outcome matters because it demonstrates how rivers alone can sculpt dramatic landforms in dry desert terrain and informs how such features form.
What happens next
What evidence of the river’s flow history explains how the San Juan River carved these deep, tightly looping meanders?
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