Environmental Protection Agency Narragansett Bay Commission University of Rhode Island Inner Space Center

Estuarine Science

Well Mixed Estuary

Well-mixed estuaries have strong tidal mixing and low river flow that mix the sea water throughout the shallow estuary. The mixing is so complete that the salinity is the same top to bottom and decreases from the ocean to the river. Shallow estuaries such as the Delaware Bay are well-mixed estuaries.



Go to:   Salt wedge estuaries ~ Partially mixed estuaries
Well-mixed estuaries ~ Fjord type estuaries

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"Estuaries Classified by Water Circulation"


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