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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. In South Texas, oxbows left by the Rio Grande are called resacas. In Australia, oxbow lakes are called billabongs.