Regressive spits occur where there is an interaction
between episodic processes (storms) in a regressive trend
dominated by longshore drift and a constant siltation rate.
Regressive spits occur in sets where it is easy to recognize
a different orientation between a set of spits. They can
increase in size inside or outside large estuaries and can
develop into recurved spits.
The Sao Francisco delta (Brazil) developed within
a large coastal lagoon limited by a system of regressive
spits (Figure 4; Domínguez, 2009). Fitzgerald and colleagues (1992) described the formation of ridges composed of sand (dominantly) and gravel in response to
changes between storm and fair-weather conditions.
Cheniers are caused exclusively by storm effects on
a coast subject to wave action or an episodic input of
mud. Cheniers should be recognized in vertical sequences
where the episodic deposit is overlying estuarine muds.
Washovers consist of coarse deposits on the landward
side of a spit or barrier, with sets of landward-dipping lamination or stratification. Their main causes are storm
surges, sometimes coinciding with spring tides, which
allow the surge to exceed the barrier-spit height. Care
should be taken to distinguish between operative
washovers, related to present-day storms, and
nonoperative washovers that are isolated by processes taking place today. Usually they lie landward of the active
washovers.
Summary
Cheniers can occur in different settings where a low-lying
plain is subject to periodic high-energy events or drastic
fluctuations of sediment availability. The mid-Holocene
sea-level fall favors the progradation of chenier plains.
Large estuaries, coastal lagoons, and deltas are affected
by waves capable of reworking former deposits. Cuspate
forelands and spits have been linked to seiches (tidal
nodes or wind-generated edge waves). Regressive spits
and beach-ridge plains reflect wave effects within
estuaries.
Bibliography
Alvarado Ortega, M., 2010. Barranquilla: ciudad con rı ´o y mar. En
Barranquilla: Como vamos. Barranquilla: Universidad del
Norte, 24 pp.
Anthony, E. J., 1995. Beach-ridge development and sediment supply: examples from West Africa. Marine Geology, 129,
175–186.
Augustinus, P. G. E. F., 1980. Actual development of the chenier
coast of Suriname (South America). Sedimentary Geology, 26,
91–113.
Augustinus, P. G. E. F., Hazelhoff, L., and Kroon, A., 1989. The
chenier coast of Suriname. Modern and geological development.
Marine Geology, 90, 269–281.
Belperio, A. P., Harvey, N., and Bouman, R. P., 2002. Spatial and
temporal variability in the Holocene sea-level record of the
South Australia coastline. Sedimentary Geology, 150, 153–169.
Bértola, G., 1994. Geomorfologı ´a y sedimentologı ´a de los
ambientes mareales de la bahı ´a de Samborombón (provincia
de Buenos Aires). Thesis Doctoral, La Plata, Facultad de
Ciencias Naturales y Museo, UNLP, pp. 56–57.
Bird, E. C. F., 2002. Physical setting and geomorphology of coastal
lagoons. In Kjerve, B. (ed.), Coastal Lagoon Processes. Elsevier
Oceanographic Series, Vol. 60, pp. 9–39.
Borrego, J., Morales, J. A., and Pendón, J. G., 1993. Holocene filling of an estuarine lagoon along the mesotidal coast of Huelva:
the Piedras River mouth, Southwestern Spain. Journal of
Coastal Research, 9(1), 242–254.
Buynevich, I., Asp, N., FitzGerald, D., Cleary, W., Klein, A., Siegle,
E., and Angulo, R., 2005. Mud in the surf: nature at work in
a Brazilian Bay. Eos, 86(33), 301–308.
Byrne, J. V., Le Roy, D. O., and Riley, C. M., 1959. The chenier
plain and its stratigraphy, Southwestern Louisiana. Transactions,
Gulf Coast Society of Geological Sciences, IX, pp. 237–259.
Cavalotto, J. L., Violante, R. A., and Colombo, F., 2005. Evolución
y cambios ambientales de la llanura costera de la cabecera del
Río de la Plata. Revista de la Asociación Geológica Argentina,
60(2), 353–367.
Chappell, J., and Grindrod, J., 1984. Chenier plain formation in
Northern Australia. In Thom, B. G. (ed.), Coastal Geomorphology in Australia. Australia: Academic Press, Chap. 10,
pp. 197–231.
Cook, P. J., and Polach, H. A., 1973. A chenier sequence at Broad
Sound, Queensland, and evidence against a Holocene high sea
level. Marine Geology, 14, 253–268.
Correa, I. D., Alcántara-Carrió, J., and González, D. A., 2005. Historical and recent shore erosion along the Colombian Caribbean
coast. Journal of Coastal Research, SI49, 52–57.
Curray, J. R., Emmel, F. J., and Crampton, P. J. S., 1969. Holocene
history of a strand plain, lagoonal coast, Nayarit, Mexico. In
Ayala-Castañares, A., and Phleger, F. B. (eds.), Lagunas
Costeras, un Simposio. Simposio Internacional de lagunas
costeras, UNAM, UNESCO, pp. 63–100.
Davis, R. A., and Clifton, H. E., 1987. Sea-level change and the
preservation potential of wave-dominated and tide-dominated
coastal sequences. In Nummedal, D., Pilkey, O. H., and Howard,
J. D. (eds.), Sea-Level Fluctuation and Coastal Evolution.
SEPM Special Publication, 41, pp. 167–178.
Domínguez, J. M. L., 2009. The coastal zone of Brazil.
In Dillenburg, S. R., and Hesp, P. A. (eds.), Geology and
Geomorphology of Holocene Coastal Barriers of Brazil. Dordrecht: Springer. Lecture Notes in Earth Sciences, Chap. 2,
pp. 17–51.
Dominguez, J. M. L., Martin, L., and Bittencourt, A. C. S. P., 1987.
Sea-level history and Quaternary evolution of river-mouth
associated beach-ridge plains along the east-southeast
Brazilian coast: a summary. In Nummedal, D., Pilkey, O. H.,
and Howard, J. D. (eds.), Sea Level Fluctuation and
Coastal Evolution. Tulsa: SEPM (Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists). Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists. SEPM Special Publication 41,
pp. 115–127.
Dougherty, A. J., and Dickson, M. E., 2009. Sea level and storm
control on the evolution of a chenier plain, Firth of Thames,
New Zealand. Marine Geology, 307–310, 58–72.
Fitzgerald, D. M., Baldwin, C. T., Ibrahim, N. A., and Humphries,
S. M., 1992. Sedimentologic and morphologic evolution of a -
beach-ridge barrier along an indented coast: Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts. SEPM Special Publication, 48, 65–75.
Fornari, M., 2010. Evolucao sedimentary holoce ´nica da
retrobarreira na regiao de Jaguaruna-Laguna, Santa Catarina,
Brasil. Unpublished thesis, Sao Paulo, Universidade de Sao
Paulo, 262 pp.
Hesp, P. A., and Short, A. D., 1999. Barrier morphodynamics. In
Short, A. D. (ed.), Handbook of Beach and Shoreface
Morphodynamics. New York: Wiley, Chap. 14, pp. 307–333.
Isla, F. I., 1989. Holocene sea-level fluctuation in the southern hemisphere. Quaternary Science Reviews, 8, 359–368.
120
CHENIERS AND REGRESSIVE BEDFORMS
between episodic processes (storms) in a regressive trend
dominated by longshore drift and a constant siltation rate.
Regressive spits occur in sets where it is easy to recognize
a different orientation between a set of spits. They can
increase in size inside or outside large estuaries and can
develop into recurved spits.
The Sao Francisco delta (Brazil) developed within
a large coastal lagoon limited by a system of regressive
spits (Figure 4; Domínguez, 2009). Fitzgerald and colleagues (1992) described the formation of ridges composed of sand (dominantly) and gravel in response to
changes between storm and fair-weather conditions.
Cheniers are caused exclusively by storm effects on
a coast subject to wave action or an episodic input of
mud. Cheniers should be recognized in vertical sequences
where the episodic deposit is overlying estuarine muds.
Washovers consist of coarse deposits on the landward
side of a spit or barrier, with sets of landward-dipping lamination or stratification. Their main causes are storm
surges, sometimes coinciding with spring tides, which
allow the surge to exceed the barrier-spit height. Care
should be taken to distinguish between operative
washovers, related to present-day storms, and
nonoperative washovers that are isolated by processes taking place today. Usually they lie landward of the active
washovers.
Summary
Cheniers can occur in different settings where a low-lying
plain is subject to periodic high-energy events or drastic
fluctuations of sediment availability. The mid-Holocene
sea-level fall favors the progradation of chenier plains.
Large estuaries, coastal lagoons, and deltas are affected
by waves capable of reworking former deposits. Cuspate
forelands and spits have been linked to seiches (tidal
nodes or wind-generated edge waves). Regressive spits
and beach-ridge plains reflect wave effects within
estuaries.
Bibliography
Alvarado Ortega, M., 2010. Barranquilla: ciudad con rı ´o y mar. En
Barranquilla: Como vamos. Barranquilla: Universidad del
Norte, 24 pp.
Anthony, E. J., 1995. Beach-ridge development and sediment supply: examples from West Africa. Marine Geology, 129,
175–186.
Augustinus, P. G. E. F., 1980. Actual development of the chenier
coast of Suriname (South America). Sedimentary Geology, 26,
91–113.
Augustinus, P. G. E. F., Hazelhoff, L., and Kroon, A., 1989. The
chenier coast of Suriname. Modern and geological development.
Marine Geology, 90, 269–281.
Belperio, A. P., Harvey, N., and Bouman, R. P., 2002. Spatial and
temporal variability in the Holocene sea-level record of the
South Australia coastline. Sedimentary Geology, 150, 153–169.
Bértola, G., 1994. Geomorfologı ´a y sedimentologı ´a de los
ambientes mareales de la bahı ´a de Samborombón (provincia
de Buenos Aires). Thesis Doctoral, La Plata, Facultad de
Ciencias Naturales y Museo, UNLP, pp. 56–57.
Bird, E. C. F., 2002. Physical setting and geomorphology of coastal
lagoons. In Kjerve, B. (ed.), Coastal Lagoon Processes. Elsevier
Oceanographic Series, Vol. 60, pp. 9–39.
Borrego, J., Morales, J. A., and Pendón, J. G., 1993. Holocene filling of an estuarine lagoon along the mesotidal coast of Huelva:
the Piedras River mouth, Southwestern Spain. Journal of
Coastal Research, 9(1), 242–254.
Buynevich, I., Asp, N., FitzGerald, D., Cleary, W., Klein, A., Siegle,
E., and Angulo, R., 2005. Mud in the surf: nature at work in
a Brazilian Bay. Eos, 86(33), 301–308.
Byrne, J. V., Le Roy, D. O., and Riley, C. M., 1959. The chenier
plain and its stratigraphy, Southwestern Louisiana. Transactions,
Gulf Coast Society of Geological Sciences, IX, pp. 237–259.
Cavalotto, J. L., Violante, R. A., and Colombo, F., 2005. Evolución
y cambios ambientales de la llanura costera de la cabecera del
Río de la Plata. Revista de la Asociación Geológica Argentina,
60(2), 353–367.
Chappell, J., and Grindrod, J., 1984. Chenier plain formation in
Northern Australia. In Thom, B. G. (ed.), Coastal Geomorphology in Australia. Australia: Academic Press, Chap. 10,
pp. 197–231.
Cook, P. J., and Polach, H. A., 1973. A chenier sequence at Broad
Sound, Queensland, and evidence against a Holocene high sea
level. Marine Geology, 14, 253–268.
Correa, I. D., Alcántara-Carrió, J., and González, D. A., 2005. Historical and recent shore erosion along the Colombian Caribbean
coast. Journal of Coastal Research, SI49, 52–57.
Curray, J. R., Emmel, F. J., and Crampton, P. J. S., 1969. Holocene
history of a strand plain, lagoonal coast, Nayarit, Mexico. In
Ayala-Castañares, A., and Phleger, F. B. (eds.), Lagunas
Costeras, un Simposio. Simposio Internacional de lagunas
costeras, UNAM, UNESCO, pp. 63–100.
Davis, R. A., and Clifton, H. E., 1987. Sea-level change and the
preservation potential of wave-dominated and tide-dominated
coastal sequences. In Nummedal, D., Pilkey, O. H., and Howard,
J. D. (eds.), Sea-Level Fluctuation and Coastal Evolution.
SEPM Special Publication, 41, pp. 167–178.
Domínguez, J. M. L., 2009. The coastal zone of Brazil.
In Dillenburg, S. R., and Hesp, P. A. (eds.), Geology and
Geomorphology of Holocene Coastal Barriers of Brazil. Dordrecht: Springer. Lecture Notes in Earth Sciences, Chap. 2,
pp. 17–51.
Dominguez, J. M. L., Martin, L., and Bittencourt, A. C. S. P., 1987.
Sea-level history and Quaternary evolution of river-mouth
associated beach-ridge plains along the east-southeast
Brazilian coast: a summary. In Nummedal, D., Pilkey, O. H.,
and Howard, J. D. (eds.), Sea Level Fluctuation and
Coastal Evolution. Tulsa: SEPM (Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists). Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists. SEPM Special Publication 41,
pp. 115–127.
Dougherty, A. J., and Dickson, M. E., 2009. Sea level and storm
control on the evolution of a chenier plain, Firth of Thames,
New Zealand. Marine Geology, 307–310, 58–72.
Fitzgerald, D. M., Baldwin, C. T., Ibrahim, N. A., and Humphries,
S. M., 1992. Sedimentologic and morphologic evolution of a -
beach-ridge barrier along an indented coast: Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts. SEPM Special Publication, 48, 65–75.
Fornari, M., 2010. Evolucao sedimentary holoce ´nica da
retrobarreira na regiao de Jaguaruna-Laguna, Santa Catarina,
Brasil. Unpublished thesis, Sao Paulo, Universidade de Sao
Paulo, 262 pp.
Hesp, P. A., and Short, A. D., 1999. Barrier morphodynamics. In
Short, A. D. (ed.), Handbook of Beach and Shoreface
Morphodynamics. New York: Wiley, Chap. 14, pp. 307–333.
Isla, F. I., 1989. Holocene sea-level fluctuation in the southern hemisphere. Quaternary Science Reviews, 8, 359–368.
120
CHENIERS AND REGRESSIVE BEDFORMS