FRESH WATER FROM LAND ENTERS THE OCEAN THROUGH RIVERS
ESTREAMS AND GROUNDWATER FLOWING THROUGH VALLEYS, THESE
VALLEYS, THAT CHANNEL FRESH WATER FROM LAND TO THE SALTY
OCEAN, WHICH RANGE FROM EXTREMELLY NARROW STREAM CUT
CHANNELS TO REMARKABLY BROAD LAGOONS BEHIND LONG BARRIER
ISLANDS, ARE CALLED ESTUARIES.
ESTUARY SYSTEMS WHICH VARY TO REFLECT THE GEOLOGY OF THE COASTS WHERE THEY ARE FOUND
CAN BE BROADLY CATEGORIZED AS ONE OF TWO DIFFERENT TYPE
MAINT SUPPORT
THE TYPES OF ESTUARIES THAT ARE NO VIABLE AS PORTS OF CALL
FOR OCEAN COMMERCE ARE THOSE THAT ARE NOT WIDE ENOUGH
, NO DEEP ENOUGH AND NOT POWERFUL ENOUGH TO PREVENT
THE BUILDUP OF SEDIMENT.
ONE TYPE OF ESTUARY SYSTEM IS TYPE THAT IS FOUND IN FLOODED COASTAL PLAINS, THE BROAD
LAND AREAS THAT EXTEND OUT TO THE CONTINENTAL SHELVES, ON THE ATLANTIC COASTS OF
NORTH AND SOUT AMERICA.