The riverbed and channel planform in the middle Yangtze River (Jinjiang reach) was significantly changed along with the four systematic cutoffs including two natural cutoffs (at Lianziwan and Shatanzi) and two artificial cutoffs (at Zhongzhouzi and Shangchewan) occurred during 1949-1979. Using the hydrological data and remote sensing images from 1955 to 2016, we calculated the erosion volume of new channels and deposition volume of old channels (i.e., oxbow lake), and analyzed the evolution process and the current status of the formed oxbow lakes. We found that the oxbow lakes were mainly influenced by local human activities. The increase of the channel gradient due to the four cutoffs causes adjustment of stream power along the channel and forces erosion of the channel bed in the long term and coarsening of bed material. The channel bed of the Jinjiang reach adjusts to its erosiondeposition equilibrium state until 1990s, with a slight deposition in the lower Jinjiang reach.

Key words：Middle Yangtze River; meandering channel; cutoff; erosion; stream power; oxbow lake