rejuvenation

In earth science, the renewal of a river's powers of downward erosion. It may be caused by a fall in sea level or a rise in land level, by climate change, by changes in vegetation cover (deforestation), or by the increase in water flow that results when one river captures another (river capture).

Several river features are formed by rejuvenation. For example, as a river cuts down into its channel it will leave its old flood plain perched up on the valley side to form a river terrace. Meanders (bends in the river) become deeper and their sides steeper, forming incised meanders, and waterfalls and rapids become more common.