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Facies Evolution of Holocene Estuaries and Deltas: A Large-sample Statistical Study from Australia

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Created 13/01/2025

Updated 13/01/2025

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Selected geomorphic features and sedimentary facies were mapped in 283 of Australia's wave- and tide-dominated estuaries and deltas to quantitatively evaluate established evolutionary facies models that depict the evolution of estuaries into deltas during stable sea level conditions. While diagnostic facies for wave- and tide-dominated estuaries and deltas approximate those specified by the models, statistical analyses of the data also reveal two additional insights regarding the evolution of estuaries to deltas. First, there is an offshore shift in the locus of sand accumulation between tide-dominated estuaries and deltas, associated with the onset of delta development. Second, the mean surface area of intertidal environments (i.e., intertidal flats, mangroves/melaleuca, saltmarsh/salt flat facies) is greater in wave-dominated deltas than in wave-dominated estuaries. Tidal penetration associated with the river establishing a more direct and permanent connection to the sea during late-stage development presents a natural impediment to continued formation of an alluvial plain and full development of the 'classic' wave-dominated delta morphology. A notional evolutionary pathway for wave-dominated estuaries is developed from the distribution of facies that predicts the rate and susceptibility of geomorphic and habitat changes. The 'classic' deltaic geomorphology may be unattainable for wave-dominated systems, except those with significant terrigenous sediment inputs. Our study is the first published example of geomorphic and sedimentary data assembled from a large number of wave- and tide-dominated estuaries and deltas across an entire continent.

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Title Facies Evolution of Holocene Estuaries and Deltas: A Large-sample Statistical Study from Australia
Language eng
Licence notspecified
Landing Page https://devweb.dga.links.com.au/data/dataset/eb89e0b2-99a7-47a0-a080-36066ee9bc8c
Contact Point
Geoscience Australia
clientservices@ga.gov.au
Reference Period 22/04/2018
Geospatial Coverage {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": [[[109.23348, -47.19364], [163.19208, -47.19364], [163.19208, -8.88189], [109.23348, -8.88189], [109.23348, -47.19364]]]}
Data Portal data.gov.au

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This dataset was originally found on data.gov.au "Facies Evolution of Holocene Estuaries and Deltas: A Large-sample Statistical Study from Australia". Please visit the source to access the original metadata of the dataset:
https://devweb.dga.links.com.au/data/dataset/facies-evolution-of-holocene-estuaries-and-deltas-a-large-sample-statistical-study-from-austral

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