Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 1

Coastal plain estuary delta: how the balance between sediment supply and accommodation determines the nature of deposits at the continental to marine interface.

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 2

Coastal depositional environments

These environments all fall within a 3D spectrum of wave, tide and river influences in progradational or retrogradational settings

Boyd et al., 1992

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 3

Coastal depositional environments

Sediment supply < Accommodation

Wave-influenced

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 4

Coastal depositional environments

Sediment supply < Accommodation

Tide-influenced

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 5

Coastal depositional environments

Accommodation < Sediment supply

Wave-influenced

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 6

Coastal depositional environments

Accommodation < Sediment supply

Tide-influenced

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 7

Coastal depositional environments

Fluvial sediment supply

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 8

Coastal depositional environments

No fluvial sediment supply

Wave-influenced

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 9

Coastal depositional environments

No fluvial sediment supply

Tide-influenced

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 10

Wave-dominated estuaries

lagoon

Beach barrier

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 11

Wave-dominated estuaries Beach barrier and lagoon

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 12

Wave-dominated estuaries Sand bar at the mouth of a wave-dominated estuary

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 13

Wave-dominated estuaries Beach barrier

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 14

Wave-dominated estuaries Beach barrier and lagoon

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 15

Wave-dominated estuaries Lagoon

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 16

Wave-dominated estuaries Lagoon mudflats

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 17

Wave-dominated estuary

Sedimentary log of a wave-dominated estuary

Beach

Estuary mouth metres - 10s metres

Central lagoon

Bay head delta

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 18

Tide-dominated estuaries

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 19

Tide-dominated estuaries Land above high tide High water Low water

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 20

Tide-dominated estuaries

EBB TIDE
FLOOD TIDE

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 21

Tide-dominated estuaries Mudflats

Tidal channels

Tidal creeks

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 22

Tide-dominated estuaries

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 23

Tide-dominated estuaries

Sand deposited on bars in tidal channels

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 24

Tide-dominated estuaries Sand deposited on bars in tidal channels

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 25

Tide-dominated estuaries Sand deposited on bars in tidal channels

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 26

Tide-dominated estuaries Tidal mudflats and tidal creeks

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 27

Tide-dominated estuaries

Depositional settings in a tidally-dominated estuary

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 28

Tide-dominated estuaries Upper tidal flat

Tidal creek metres - 10s metres

A sedimentary log of a tidal estuary

Lower tidal flat

Tidal channel tidal flow indicators

Scoured base of channel

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 29

Barriers and lagoons

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 30

Barriers and lagoons Wave-dominated coastline: coastal plain and sandy beach

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 31

Barriers and lagoons Barrier islands - beaches not attached to the coastal plain

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 32

Barriers and lagoons Beach-barrier bar along a wave-dominated coastline

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 33

Barriers and lagoons Barrier islands

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 34

Barriers and lagoons

Barrier islands

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 35

Barriers and lagoons

Beach barrier with lagoon (right) and open sea (left)

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 36

Barriers and lagoons Lagoons are low energy, shallow water behind a barrier

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 37

Barriers and lagoons Lagoons are low energy, shallow water behind a barrier

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 38

Barriers and lagoons A graphic sedimentary log of a clastic lagoon metres Bioturbated muds

Wave rippled washover sands

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 39

Coastal morphology With mixed wave and tidal processes the barrier is breached by more inlets ebb and flood tidal deltas

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 40

Coastal morphology

Muddy shoreline on a tidally-dominated coast

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 41

Coastal morphology Muddy lagoon in mixed wave and tidal setting

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 42

Coastal morphology Beach dunes

A graphic sedimentary log of a transgressive coast

metres - 10s metres

Washover sands

Flood tidal delta deposits

Lagoon

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 43

Coastal depositional environments

These environments all fall within a 3D spectrum of wave, tide and river influences in progradational or retrogradational settings

Boyd et al., 1992

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 44

Variations in delta morphology and facies

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 45

River-dominated delta

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 46

River-dominated delta

Delta plain

Delta channel

10s metres

Distributary mouth bar

Delta front

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 47

Wave-influenced delta

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 48

Delta plain

Wave-influenced delta
Beach

Distributary mouth bar 10s metres

Delta front

Pro delta

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 49

Tide-influenced delta

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 50

Tide-influenced delta

Tidal flats

Tidal channel (mud drapes, bidirectional flow) 10s metres

Tidal sand bars of delta front

Pro-delta

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 51

Classification of deltas

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 52Controls

on delta environments and facies

Gary Nichols Coastal 1 - 53

Coastal depositional environments

These environments all fall within a 3D spectrum of wave, tide and river influences in progradational or retrogradational settings

Boyd et al., 1992