River channels naturally vary over time in the meandering path they follow over land. On the Skunk River in central Iowa, human influence in the form of channelization has had a profound impact on this natural variation. This project characterizes the historical changes to the channels of the North and South branches of the Skunk River. GIS software was used to extract the river path from historical maps and aerial photos at four different time periods ranging from the mid 1800s to present day.