Comment:

No sinuosity is a straight channel. Low sinuosity is a channel with only 1 or 2 poorly defined outside bends in a sampling reach, or perhaps slight meandering within modified banks. Moderate sinuosity is more than 2 outside bends, with at least one bend well defined. High sinuosity is more than 2 or 3 well defined outside bends with deep areas outside and shallow areas inside. Sinuosity may be more conceptually described by the ratio of the stream distance between two points on the channel of a stream and the straight-line distance between these same two points, taken from a topographic map. This metric measures the formation of pools and increased habitat area as the primary “functions” of sinuosity as related to aquatic life.