A stream that flows with narrower meander belts and shorter meander wavelengths than are appropriate to the valley. Davis et al. (2006) Geomorph. 75, 3–4 suggest that the valley was initially formed by a river of much greater discharge, so that an underfit stream is evidence of climate change. However, while Dury (in K. J. Gregory, ed. 1977) developed mathematical relationships between the valley meander wavelength and the stream meander wavelength on the Ozark Plateaus to define the underfit condition, Shepherd et al. (2011 Phys Geog 32, 2) were unable to replicate his findings in the same locations.