U-shaped Valleys

U-shaped valleys are formed after a glacier passes through a V-shaped valley. They are U-shaped with steep, straight sides and a flat bottom.  The U-shaped valleys occur when a glacier travels across a down slope, carving the valley by the action of scouring. The glacial erosion called glaciation and abrasion, which results in large rocky material being carried in the glacier. A material called boulder clay is deposited onto the floor of the valley. As the ice melt the valley is left with ver steep sides and a wide, flat floor. A river or stream may flow through the valley from the melted ice.
On the sides of an U-shaped valley, they may have hanging valleys. Hanging valleys are side valleys (valleys on the side) that are on the high, left side of a main valley that has been turned into a U-shaped valley.Streams that are in a U-shaped valley may form a waterfall as water can flow down the steepened sides. The valley may also have trunctated spurs. Trunctated spurs are the ends of sloping ridges cut (or truncated) by the valley glacier to flow straighter than a river.