What makes the delta and estuary

When rivers reach the sea, the fresh river water mixes with seawater. The salt in the seawater makes the tiny particles of mud carried in the river clump together and settle in thick layers.

These layers may build up and grow outward from the seashore, creating an extension of land called a delta. A typical delta is shaped like a broad fan that slopes gently down toward the sea. Rivers that flow more slowly may form muddy estuaries when they join the sea. Delta is defined as the landform, created out of deposition of sand, clay and slit, brought by the river, as the river enters another river, sea, ocean, lake, etc. It occurs where the river joins a larger watercourse whose flow of water is slow and is not able to transport the supplied sediment and leaves it at the river mouth which results in the formation of the delta.

Delta is build up by continuous deposition of sediments, which makes the water shallow, causing the landform to rise above the sea level. A delta is divided into four parts, i. While an estuary is a semi-enclosed body of water, where river meets the ocean, the delta is a low-lying plain, formed by the accumulation of alluvium.

There is four major type of estuaries which are drowned river valley estuary, bar-built estuary, fjord estuary and tectonic estuary. On the contrary, various types of delta include wave-dominated delta, tide-dominated delta, Gilbert delta, tidal-freshwater delta, inland delta and mega-delta. Your email address will not be published.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Key Differences Between Estuary and Delta The difference between estuary and delta are discussed in the points given below: By estuary, we mean a semi-enclosed waterbody, comprising of brackish water. It is a place where the river meets the sea. On the other hand, the delta is defined as the wetlands, that is formed when a fast moving river joins a slow-moving water body, and thus empty the sediments at its mouth.

However, it flood prone region. The features of estuary and delta are determined by a region's geology and influenced by physical, chemical, and climatic conditions.

The rivers that have a large catchment area, flows through longer distance and carry sediment which are not rapidly carried by ocean wave makes delta which is also one of the landform.

Whereas Estuary is formed by those rivers which have the shortest catchment area, flows from rift valley and drains its water directly to the sea or ocean and any other form of the watercourse. The old civilizations were formed along river valleys and deltas due to its fertility. Many important port towns are located on the estuaries and they make excellent harbours and fisheries.

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