A flood plain is a large area of flat land on either side of the river that experiences or has experienced flooding.

Find out more about landforms in the lower course of the river.

Characteristics of a flood plain include:

• A large area of flat land either side of a river
• layers of alluvium cover the flood plain
• a river bluff along the edge of a flood plain
• meander scars
• levees
• rich, fertile soil
• reeds and marsh plants

Find out more about landforms in the lower course of the river.

The main characteristics of levees are:

• raised river banks
• consist of gravel, stones and small sediment
• steep on the channel side, gentle sloping on the land side
• relatively flat top covered in grass

Find out more about landforms in the lower course of the river.

Levees are naturally raised riverbanks found along the sides of the river channel that has experienced flooding.

Find out more about landforms in the lower course of the river.

It’s made up of alluvium (deposited silt from a river flood).

Find out more about landforms in the lower course of the river.