Investigation of the lateral channel migration: A case study of the South Morava River (Serbia)

The morphological evolution of the fluvial relief in the lowland areas is determined by the dynamic of the lateral channel migration process. River meandering and lateral channel migration represent continuous, dynamic and complex processes, which intensity modifies alluvial plains. Accordingly, it is a current topic observed from the domain of various scientific disciplines and practices, including the geographical aspect of the study. Directly or indirectly, variations of natural and anthropogenic processes affect changes in the lateral migration intensity, which is later manifested through permanent consequences for the environment. The aim of this paper is to investigate the process of lateral channel migration, through the review and interpretation of theoretical and methodological concepts and results of contemporary scientific literature. In this paper, on specific sections of the South Morava River (Serbia), the values of maximum lateral migration over different time periods are determined. Three representative river sectors were singled out, spatial and temporal dynamic was determined, while the process of lateral channel migration was presented quantitatively and graphically. Based on the obtained data, a comparative analysis showed significant riverbank changes for the observed meanders, within the period 1924-2020. Special emphasis is on the analysis of the lateral channel migration in the last decade of the mentioned period. The obtained results can be further used in order to develop and implement plans of water and land management, environmental protection and socio-economic development strategies.