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Article: Estuaries
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- Water:Science and Issues
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CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 The Gale Group Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Estuaries
Estuaries are defined as semi-enclosed coastal bodies of water that have a free connection with the sea and within which sea water is measurably diluted by
fresh water. The fresh-water sources for most estuaries are streams, rivers, and even
groundwater
for some areas.
In the continental United States, estuaries comprise more than 80 percent of the coastline along the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, and more than 10 percent of the Pacific coast. Geographical features such as bays, inlets, harbors, lagoons, bayous, and sounds usually are one of several different types of estuaries. Although there are many ways to classify estuaries,
geomorphology
and water circulation ...