outwash plain

An outwash plain is a geological formation constructed from outwash, which consists of sand and gravel deposited by meltwater streams flowing from a glacier. These plains are typically found beyond the terminal or recessional moraine of a glacier. The material is sorted by grain size, with larger particles deposited closer to the glacier and finer materials spread further out. Outwash deposits can be extensive, sometimes extending for hundreds of kilometers from the glacial terminus. These plains can be dissected by streams and may contain undrained depressions called kettles. A sand plain is a less common term for an outwash plain composed primarily of sand deposited by glacial meltwater.123