Point bar vs. gravel bar A point bar forms on the inside of a meander bend. A gravel bar can form in straighter reaches, behind obstructions, or after floods. The formation process affects what concentrates there.
Point bar vs. riffle zone Riffles are shallow, fast sections with coarse material; point bars are depositional features on bends. If you’re targeting heavy minerals or fossils, note whether you’re working a bar, a riffle, or both.
Active bar vs. abandoned bar Bars migrate. An abandoned bar may be higher, older, and more soil‑covered, sometimes preserving material differently. Record whether the bar is actively reworked or stabilized.
Point bar sorting vs. random picking Bars naturally sort by size and density. If you track where coarse, fine, or heavy fractions sit on the bar, you’ll collect more efficiently than if you only pick obvious pieces.