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This paper presents a complex analysis of both the contemporary and the historic development of the geomorphic regime of the transformed reach of the Morávka River in the Czech Carpathians. The assessment concentrates on the conditions and causes of the channel development in the last c. 200years compared with the state of European channels, especially those of the Carpathian zone. The Morávka R. pattern has undergone a rapid change in the last 50years, particularly in connection with the active channel narrowing and massive incision. The original anabranching river pattern has gradually been replaced by a simple, narrowed channel incised into the bedrock. The average width of the Morávka R. active channel changed from 153m in 1836–1852 and 165m in 1876–1878 to 44m in the year 2010. At some parts, the original river bed has lowered as much as 8m in the last 40years, which indicates an incision rate of 12–24cm/year. These changes have been caused by strong anthropogenic impacts in the form of the river-channel control, bank stabilisation, and weir and valley dam construction. Other reasons are related to land cover and land-use changes. A great influence on the contemporary processes is also exerted by the geological predisposition of the Carpathian flysch lithology in channel bedrock, particularly the occurrence of claystone layers that present little resistance to water erosion. Currently, the deficit of transportable sedimentary material along with the increased transport capacity of the incised river bed has generated conditions for constantly intensifying erosion processes in the Morávka R. channel.
