The correct option is (c) 1 and 3 only
Explanation
Lakes are formed through various geomorphic processes involving agents such as wind, rivers, glaciers, and tectonic activity. The mode of formation depends on the specific physiographic region and the dominant erosional or depositional forces at play.
Statement-wise Analysis
- Statement 1 is Correct. A meandering river flowing across a floodplain often changes its course due to erosion on the outer bank and deposition on the inner bank. Over time, the meander loops become pronounced and eventually cut off from the main river channel. These cut-off bodies of water are known as ox-bow lakes. This is a characteristic feature of rivers in the mature stage within the Northern Plains.
- Statement 2 is Incorrect. Spits and bars are depositional landforms found in coastal areas. Instead of preventing the formation of lagoons, they are the primary cause of their formation. A spit or bar grows across a bay or an indentation in the coastline, eventually enclosing a body of water and separating it from the open sea to form a lagoon (e.g., Chilika Lake, Pulicat Lake).
- Statement 3 is Correct. Glacial lakes are formed through the erosional activity of glaciers. As a glacier moves, it scours and digs out a basin or depression in the bedrock (often called a cirque). Once the glacier retreats or melts, this depression is filled with snowmelt or rainwater, forming a glacial lake.
Key Takeaway
Ox-bow lakes are formed by the cut-off action of meandering rivers in floodplains;
lagoons are formed by coastal depositional features like spits and bars enclosing water; and
glacial lakes are formed in basins eroded by glaciers.