Palaeochannel

A palaeochannel, or paleochannel, is a remnant of an inactive river or stream channel that has been filled or buried by younger sediment. The sediments that the ancient channel is cut into or buried by can be unconsolidated, semi-consolidated, consolidated or lithified. The word palaeochannel is formed from the palaeo, meaning 'old,' and channel. It may be synonymous with palaeovalley and palaeoriver. A palaeochannel, or paleochannel, is a remnant of an inactive river or stream channel that has been filled or buried by younger sediment. The sediments that the ancient channel is cut into or buried by can be unconsolidated, semi-consolidated, consolidated or lithified. The word palaeochannel is formed from the palaeo, meaning 'old,' and channel. It may be synonymous with palaeovalley and palaeoriver. A palaeochannel is distinct from the overbank deposits of currently-active river channels, including ephemeral water courses that do not regularly flow (such as the Todd River, Central Australia) because the river bed is filled with sedimentary deposits unrelated to the normal bed load of the current drainage pattern.