The characteristic pattern of water movement within an estuary, where fresher river water flows seaward near the surface while denser, saltier ocean water flows landward along the bottom, mixing gradually as the two exchange. This layered circulation strongly shapes the sediment transport, nutrient cycling and productive ecology of estuaries worldwide.
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1. Estuarine Circulation (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationIntroductionQuote, Introduction
Estuarine water circulation is controlled by the inflow of rivers, the tides, rainfall and evaporation, the wind, and other oceanic events such as an upwelling, an eddy, and storms.
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