Three Ways Rivers Erode Their Channels

Fluvial erosion operates through three primary processes:

1. Hydraulic Action: Sheer force of moving water dislodges and lifts particles from bed and banks.
2. Abrasion (Corrasion): Sediment load acts like sandpaper, grinding and scouring the channel.
3. Attrition: Transported particles collide and grind against each other, becoming smaller and rounder.

Together, they deepen, widen, and shape river valleys over time.