Stream tables can be mesmerizing...

as one watches the gradual changes of the simulated fluvial landscape.  Here are several shots taken over the course of 2.5 hours in GEOL 121 lab yesterday afternoon, starting with the initial condition (click to enlarge):

Then we slowly increased the discharge in the channel and a cutoff of the meander occurred shortly thereafter:

Then later, we lowered the level of the pool and watched rapid headward erosion and incision of the lower part of the channel system, creating slightly elevated terraces: