River Tollense, Germany. Aerial photograph of the River Tollense in Germany. The river meanders (bends) frequently at points along its course. Water flows faster on the outside of any small curve in the river bank causing quicker erosion than on the inside. Sediments from the eroded edges are deposited on the slower flowing inside bank. The result over time is a meander that becomes further accentuated, covering the width of the flood plain. Eventually, the meander will bend to such an extreme that the base of the loop will join. This soon isolates the top of the bend, which becomes cut off to form an oxbow lake.