Which mechanism causes the formation of braided river channels in alluvial fans experiencing heavy sediment load?

💡 Explanation

When sediment load is excessive, aggradation, the accumulation of sediment, surpasses the river's capacity to transport it because the river's energy is primarily used to move material rather than incise a deeper channel, leading to channel instability and the development of multiple, interwoven channels. Therefore, aggradation exceeding transport capacity causes braiding rather than weathering, accretion, or base level fall requiring different geologic settings.

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