Tidal inlet processes and deposits along a low energy coastline: easter Barataria Bight, Louisiana

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1985 · Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States)

OSTI ID:6456649

Moslow, T F; Levin, D R

Historical, seismic and vibracore data were used to determine the geologic framework of sand deposits along the predominantly muddy coastline of eastern Barataria Bight, Louisiana. Three inlet types with distinct sand body geometries and morphologies were identified and are found 1) at flanking barrier island systems spread laterally across the front of interdistributary bays; 2) in old distributary channels; 3) at overwash breaches; or 4) combination of these. Barataria Bight, a sheltered barrier island shoreline embayment with limited sand supply, minimal tidal range (36 cm) and low wave energies (30 cm) can be used to show examples of each inlet type. Barataria Pass and Quatre Bayou Pass are inlets located in old distributary channels. However, Barataria Pass has also been affected by construction between barrier islands. Pass Ronquille is located where the coastline has transgressed a low area in the delta plain. This breach is situated in a hydraulically efficient avenue between the Gulf and Bay Long behind it. Pass Abel is a combination of a low-profile barrier breach and the reoccupation of an old distributary channel. Shelf and shoreline sands are reworked from abandoned deltaic distributaries and headlands. Inner shelf sands are concentrated in thick (10 m) shore-normal relict distributary channels with fine grained cross-bedded and ripple laminated sand overlain by burrowed shelf muds. Shoreface sand deposits occur as 2-3 m thick, fine-grained, coarsening upward and burrowed ebb-tidal delta sequences and shore-parallel relict tidal inlet channels filled through lateral accretion.

• Research Organization: Louisiana State Univ., Baton Rouge (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6456649
• Report Number(s): CONF-8510489-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States) Journal Volume: 17
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
580100* -- Geology & Hydrology-- (-1989)
COASTAL REGIONS
CONTINENTAL MARGIN
CONTINENTAL SHELF
DEPOSITION
FEDERAL REGION VI
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
GEOLOGY
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
LITHOLOGY
LOUISIANA
NORTH AMERICA
ROCKS
SANDSTONES
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SEDIMENTS
SEISMIC SURVEYS
STRATIGRAPHY
SURVEYS
USA