ESTUARINE STUDIES

Welcome to this estuarine exploration site!

In estuaries, where seawater is gradually diluted by freshwater, changes in river inflow may influence the salinity-intrusion location, salinity ranges, circulation, as well as transport of constituents. As estuarine waters and surrounding wetlands may serve as diverse ecosystems and habitat for fish, crabs, and other aquatic organisms, changes in hydrodynamic characteristics can critically impact environmental conditions and ecologic health.

The estuarine response to river and tidal forcing may be characterized based on analytic investigations. Examples in the representative, partially mixed Cape Fear River Estuary (CFRE) in North Carolina are provided in linked pages. Studies and analyses of Winyah Bay and South Edisto River Estuary (South Carolina) are discussed in related work. Presentations are intended for educational purposes to offer a framework to better understand mechanisms influencing physical, biological, and environmental conditions.

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