CHAPTER 9
Geomorphological and Physical Characteristics of the Bahia Blanca Estuary
213
Fig. 9.12. Residual fluxes of
mass (a, c) and salt (b, d) for
the same cross-section near
Ingeniero White for spring
(a, b) and neap (c, d) conditions
9.5
1.0 t:=:::::::::::::=--~\-::;::=,T------r
a
17 0.5
0.0 0
O.
0.2
0.4 X 0.6
1.0 J:::;;::==:::::=-~l----::::~::--l:---~r
1) 0.5
Discussion and Conclusions
Bahia Blanca Estuary displays one of the most complex geomorphological and dynamic conditions in the Argentina coastline. There are major differences with the typical river mouth estuary because of the geological conditions that originated this environment. First of all, the estuary is only part of the remaining of once the largest
delta in the country being almost 200 km at the distal point. For the sake of comparison, the Parana Delta located within the Rio de la Plata Estuary is only 45 km wide,
the Nile Delta is 250 km and the Niger Delta is 400 km wide.
Along its geological evolution, it went through full fluvial subaerial conditions to a
shallow bay/shelf with depths up to 7-10 m over the today flats and more than 30 m