Estuary - Wikipedia
WebAn estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environments and are an …
Estuary - National Geographic Society
WebOct 19, 2023 · Article. Vocabulary. An estuary is an area where a freshwater river or stream meets the ocean. In estuaries, the salty ocean mixes with a freshwater river, resulting in brackish water. Brackish water is somewhat salty, but not as salty as the ocean. An estuary may also be called a bay, lagoon, sound, or slough.
Estuary | Coastal Features, Marine Life & Conservation
WebApr 24, 2024 · estuary, partly enclosed coastal body of water in which river water is mixed with seawater. In a general sense, the estuarine environment is defined by salinity boundaries rather than by geographic boundaries. The term estuary is derived from the Latin words aestus (“the tide”) and aestuo (“boil”), indicating the effect generated when ...
Estuary - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
WebAn estuary is where a river meets the sea. There, saltwater mixes with freshwater. The river becomes wider and wider and flows slowly to the ocean. Bays, marshes, swamps, and inlets can all have estuaries. A view of an estuary from the air is usually an interesting sight: many estuaries meander (curve and bend
Estuary - Wikiwand
WebAn estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environments and are an …
What is an estuary? - NOAA's National Ocean Service
WebEstuaries are home to unique plant and animal communities that have adapted to brackish water—a mixture of fresh water draining from the land and salty seawater. However, there are also several types of entirely freshwater ecosystems that have many similar characteristics to the traditional brackish estuaries.
What is an estuary? Estuaries Tutorial - National Oceanic and ...
WebEstuaries are transitional areas that straddle the land and the sea, as well as freshwater and saltwater habitats. The daily tides (the regular rise and fall of the sea's surface) are a major influence on many of these dynamic environments. Most areas of the Earth experience two high and two low tides each day.
Columbia River Estuary - Wikipedia
WebThe Columbia River Estuary is situated on the Oregon–Washington border and the Pacific Coast of the United States. It was traditionally inhabited by the Chinook Native Americans and discovered by settlers in 1788.
Life in an estuary - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
WebFeb 1, 2019 · Estuaries are areas of water and shoreline where rivers meet the ocean or another large body of water, such as one of the Great Lakes. Organisms that live in estuaries must be adapted to these dynamic environments, where there are variations in water chemistry including salinity, as well as physical changes like the rise and fall of tides.
estuary summary | Britannica
Webestuary , Partly enclosed coastal body of water in which river water is mixed with seawater. An estuary is thus defined by salinity rather than geography. Many coastal features designated by other names are in fact estuaries (e.g., Chesapeake Bay).
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