Estuaries and the Estuarine Turbidity Maximum ETM

1
Estuaries and the Estuarine Turbidity Maximum
(ETM)
2
Gilbert deltas
3
Types of deltas
4
River-dominated deltas(Mississippi)
5
Temporal evolution of a delta dendrite
6
Holocene history of Mississippi delta
7
1.-3. Cocoderie 5000-2800 yr BP 4. St. Bernard
2800-1000 yr BP 5. Lafourche 1000-300 yr BP 6.
Modern lt 550 yr BP 7. Atchafalaya lt 50 yr BP
8
Human impacts

• Channelization
• Dredging
• Damming
• After Cattaneo et al. (2003)

9
Tide-dominated deltas(Fly, PNG)
10
Wave-dominated deltas
Brazos delta (photo courtesy of Duncan Heron)