Maplab
Between Texas and Mexico, a Restless Border Defies the Map
In El Paso, we call it the Rio Grande; our neighbors in Juárez know it as Río Bravo. It’s supposed to be a national border, but the river had its own ideas.
A meander is the ribbon-like waveform that a powerful river can take when sediment builds up on the inside edge of its flow, bending its course. Over time, as more dirt and rocks pack on, the river keeps meandering, pushing the water into fresh curve shapes. Sometimes the bend will complete as a loop, known as an oxbow.
This phenomenon is a reminder that no river wants to be stationary. Its singular desire is to reach its destination—an ocean, a sea, a lake, or another river. And it will overcome most barriers to do so.