Palaeochannel
A palaeochannel is the remnant of a course of a river or stream that has been preserved as a geological feature, either filled in or buried by sediment.
Although these are naturally occurring features, former watercourses have the potential to contain a wealth of rich palaeoenvironmental and cultural information about landscape and climate change, as well as human impact. The presence of a palaeochannel demonstrates that there was a water source in the area at some point in history. As water is a key requirement for human habitation, it raises the potential for manmade monuments or features in the nearby landscape.
Palaeochannels may not always be easy to distinguish from man-made drainage networks especially those that incorporate natural water courses.
What to look for:
- Usually a sinuous, meandering shape
- Often preserved as shorter sections of abandoned channels
- Location alongside rivers or within other low-lying valley positions
