Statistical Dataset of Meandering reach of the Nanliu River, China (2008 and 2022)

Naturally meandering rivers are widespread, and their rich geomorphic units provide diverse habitats for riverine biomes. Channel re-meandering is widely applied in "form-based" river restoration. Using Google Earth imagery from 2008 and 2022, the river channel surface of the Nanliu River was extracted. Subsequently, in ArcGIS, we processed these channel surfaces to extract the centerlines of the river channels from both periods. Employing a “top-down” approach, we identified 130 naturally meandering segments along the mainstem of the Nanliu River. Eight bend geomorphological parameters (namely Rc, θ, Z, Tm, α, Bm, W and S ) were calculated, and statistical analysis was conducted on the characteristics and relationships among these parameters. Geomorphic multiparameter correlation analysis provides a cost-effective approach to support river restoration design while reducing reliance on high-precision monitoring data.