Skip to Main Content
Skip Nav Destination

Within the coastal plain and shoreline zone, two principal coastal environments are distinguished--deltaic, and interdeltaic (or nondeltaic between major deltas, Fig. 5.1). Deltaic areas develop where relatively large river systems empty at the shoreline zone and deposit volumes of sediment that accumulate at rates generally greater than the rate at which modifying shoreline processes can disperse them (Fig. 5.2), or subsidence or sea level rise can overcome them. In contrast, nondeltaic areas receive much less sediment from river systems; wave and tidal action become more dominant, and barrier islands grow by accretion of sediments from the seaward and longshore directions. In both areas, lateral accretion greatly exceeds vertical accumulation, and vertical profiles reflect progradation of higher-energy facies over lower-energy facies (Fig. 5.3).

You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.

or Create an Account

Close Modal
Close Modal