Lateral Erosion - GCSE Geography Definition

Lateral erosion is a natural process that occurs in rivers. It involves the wearing away of the river banks, rather than the riverbed so the river becomes wider. This type of erosion happens mostly when a river is winding or meandering through a landscape. As the water flows, it hits the sides of the river with force, chipping and carrying away soil and rocks from the banks. Lateral erosion is an important concept in geography, as it helps shape the landscape by creating features like meanders and floodplains.