In recent years, the flow of the Yellow River has often been interrupted, which has resulted in exposure of channel bars and point bars, and even extensive exposure of the riverbed. Consequently, a large number of rill marks have developed. They are diverse in morphology. According to the hydrodynamic types of their formation, they can be grouped into 6 categories, i. e. the wave eroded, backwash, seepage, rain eroded, water drainage and runoff rill marks. Morphologically, they can be divided into more than ten types: the linear, tooth shaped, comb shaped, fence like, ear like, braided, branched, leaf like, flower like, root like, dendritic, net like, radial etc. Their cross sections include the broad u type (the width/depth ratio is over 2, and may reach 10—20), U type (width/depth ratio from 1 to 2), V type, Ω type and ( type. Their occurrences may be attributed to the variations in composition, grain size, color, fabric and morphology. They have 5 scales: the micro scale (length and width within 1 cm), small scale (length and width within 10 cm), medium scale (length and width ranging from 10—100cm), large scale (length and width 1—5 m) and giant-scale (length or width over 5 m).
