The oxbow lake surrounding this property is classified as a semi-open oxbow. When the water level on the river is high the oxbow floods at one end.

An oxbow lake is a U-shaped lake or pool that forms when a wide meander of a river is cut off, creating a free-standing body of water. The word "oxbow" can also refer to a U-shaped bend in a river or stream, whether or not it is cut off from the main stream.  These naturally occurring features play a vital role in floodwater storage, wildlife habitat, and water quality.

An oxbow lake forms when a meandering river erodes through the neck of one of its meanders. This takes place because meanders tend to grow and become more curved over time. The river then follows a shorter course that bypasses the meander. The entrances to the abandoned meander eventually silt up, forming an oxbow lake. Because oxbow lakes are still water lakes, with no current flowing through them, the entire lake gradually silts up, becoming a bog or swamp and then evaporating completely.

Our artificially created oxbow lake has escaped the fate of many others which have simply dried up. Over time it has managed to flood in the spring when the river was high and retain most of it's water in the summer.