Australian Estuaries and Coastal Waterways : A Geoscience Perspective for Improved and Integrated Resource Management : A Report to the National Land & Water Resources Audit Theme 7 : Ecosystem Health  


Authors / CoAuthors

Heap, A.D. | Bryce, S. | Ryan, D. | Radke, L. | Smith, C. | Smith, R. | Harris, P.T. | Heggie, D.

Abstract

Australian estuaries and coastal waterways were classified into six subclasses according to the wave-, tide- and river-energies that shape them, and also according to their overall geomorphology. The geomorphic classification confirmed the energy classification. Within this framework: - 17% were classified as wave-dominated estuaries; - 11% were classified as tide-dominated estuaries; - 10% were classified as wave-dominated deltas; and - 9% were classified as tide-dominated deltas Therefore, only ~28% of Australian coastal waterways are actually estuaries. The remainder are delta's (19%), strandplains (~5%), or tidal creeks (~35%). A seventh subclass others (13%) includes: Drowned River Valleys, Embayments and Coastal Lakes/Lagoons/Creeks. Strandplains and Tidal Creeks are indicative of very low river-energy, and their joint dominance in the data set (~40%) reflects the fact that Australia is a dry continent, with relatively little river runoff by world standards.

Product Type

document

eCat Id

36203

Contact for the resource

  Custodian

EGD  

  Owner

Commonwealth of Australia (Geoscience Australia)  

  Custodian

Commonwealth of Australia (Geoscience Australia)  
Cnr Jerrabomberra Ave and Hindmarsh Dr GPO Box 378
Canberra
ACT
2601
Australia

Keywords

  • GA PublicationRecord
( Theme )
  • resource management
( Theme )
  • coasts
( Theme )
  • geochemistry
( Theme )
  • geomorphology
( Theme )
  • marine
  • AU-EEZ
Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC)
  • Earth Sciences
  • Published_External

Publication Date

2001-01-01T00:00:00

Creation Date

Security Constraints

Australian Government Security ClassificationSystem    

Classification - unclassified

Legal Constraints

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence    

Access - license

Use - license

Status

Purpose

Maintenance Information

unknown

Topic Category

geoscientificInformation

Series Information

Record 2001/007

Lineage

Unknown

Parent Information

Extents

[-45.533333, -10.75, 112.66667, 153.533333]

Reference System

Spatial Resolution

Service Information

Associations

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Download the Record (pdf)  

Source Information

Source data not available.