In legal terms, what does "avulsion" involve regarding land?

Avulsion refers to the sudden and rapid change in the course of a waterway that can result in significant alterations to land ownership and boundaries. It occurs when a river or stream changes its path due to natural events such as flooding or shifts in the ground. This sudden change can effectively transfer land from one owner to another, as the land previously occupied may now be part of a different plot due to the new waterway path. The key factor here is the quick and dramatic nature of the change, which contrasts with processes like erosion or accretion that occur gradually over time. This understanding of avulsion is crucial in land law, particularly in cases involving property disputes following natural disasters or climatic events.