- located where river meets the sea.
- the most productive water bodies in the world
- The complete salinity range from 0-35 ppt is seen from the head (river end) to the mouth (sea end) of an estuary
- Coastal lakes which have their connection with the sea through small openings are better known as lagoons or backwaters acting as a natural water filter
Estuary Formation:
grouped into four geomorphic categories based on the physical processes responsible for their formation:
1) rising sea level; (2) movement of sand and sandbars; (3) glacial processes; and (4) tectonic processes.
India Estuarine Ecosystem
The Country has 14 major, 44 medium and 162 minor rivers drains into the sea through various estuaries.
Major estuaries occur in the Bay of Bengal.
Most of the India’s major estuaries occur on the east coast. In contrast, the estuaries on the west coast are smaller.