Storm-related rejuvenation of a northern Gulf of Mexico estuary
Conference
·
· AAPG (Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol.) Bull.; (United States)
OSTI ID:5783450
Apalachicola Bay, Florida, is one of the larger estuaries in the northern Gulf of Mexico, and has one of the highest sedimentation rates of any estuary in the eastern US. The massive influx of sediment from the Apalachicola River system has built an extensive delta system at the river's mouth and, in the vicinity of the delta, sedimentation rates of 10 mm/year have been measured. Analysis of bathymetric data dating back to the mid-1800s disclosed that the bay has been undergoing exceptionally rapid infilling that is still persisting. The passage of two hurricanes near the bay in 1985, however, generated high-velocity currents that scoured about 3.6 billion ft/sup 3/ of sediment from the bottom of the bay, completely changing the character of the texture of the bottom sediments and their mineralogy and heavy metal chemistry. Even more remarkable, perhaps, is the fact that over 83 million tons of sediment was carried by the currents out through one of the passes into the Gulf of Mexico. The removal of this quantity of sediment has thus returned the bay to bathymetric conditions existing in the early 1800s and has significantly extended the life of the bay.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of South Alabama, Mobile
- OSTI ID:
- 5783450
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-8710198-
- Conference Information:
- Journal Name: AAPG (Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol.) Bull.; (United States) Journal Volume: 71:9
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Aging and sediment characteristics of northern Gulf of Mexico estuaries
Hazards in determination and extrapolation of depositional rates of recent sediments
Recent sediments and contaminant history of Apalachicola Bay, Florida
Conference
·
Fri Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1989
· AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (USA)
·
OSTI ID:5111973
Hazards in determination and extrapolation of depositional rates of recent sediments
Conference
·
Tue Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1991
· Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States)
·
OSTI ID:5687713
Recent sediments and contaminant history of Apalachicola Bay, Florida
Conference
·
Mon Feb 28 23:00:00 EST 1994
· Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States)
·
OSTI ID:6819125