The river has three stages: upper stage, middle stage and lower stage.

Upper Stage: The upper stage begins from the source of the river in mountainous areas. The river trumbles down the steep slopes and as a result its velocity and eroding power at their maximum. In this stage the river widens its valley giving a 'V' shape. It is called a V-shaped valley. Deep gorges also develop in limestone areas and in rocks lying in the dry climate. The narrow and deep gorges or the canyons are 'I' shaped valley 

Middle Stage: In the middle course lateral corrosion tends to replace vertical corrosion. Active erosion of the banks widens the V-shaped valley. The work of the river is transportation with some deposition. The deposition work starts as the sudden decrease in the velocity. The deposits assume fan-like shape hence it is called alluvial fan. Sometimes several fans made by neighbouring streams often unite to form a plain known as Piedmont alluvial plain.

Lower Stage: After the middle stage the river moves down. The work of the river mainly deposition, building up its and forming flood plain. Large sheets of material are deposited  in the level bed and the river splits into a maze of channels. Such streams are called braided streams.

In the lower stage of the river meander becomes much more pronounced. The outer bank is so eroded rapidly that the meander becomes almost a complete circle. Time comes when the river cuts the marrow neck of the loop and the meander now cut off from the main stream takes the form of an oxbow lake.