General Question

rebbel's avatar

What is the situation/consistence of the water on the border of salt water to fresh water?

Asked by rebbel (35547points) January 8th, 2012

Rivers end up in oceans.
River water is fresh water, whereas sea water is saline.
What is the water like at the point where the river ends up in the sea?
Is there a physical/steady border (where the river stops being a river), or is the border there where the consistency of the water reached a certain level of salinity (or freshness)?
As a side question: do fresh water fishes feel/taste/notice that the river reached its end, and will they then turn around asap?

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4 Answers

marinelife's avatar

In bodies of water on the boundary, it is brackish. Whole different life forms live in brackish water.

There is a zone of brackishness before the sea takes over..

marinelife (62485points)“Great Answer” (7points) Flag as…
Adirondackwannabe's avatar

I think the term is estuary. It changes with the waterflow. In Texas, they’re facing drought conditions and the salt water is moving upstream.

Adirondackwannabe (36713points)“Great Answer” (2points) Flag as…
cazzie's avatar

Here you go;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estuarine_water_circulation

(some of my father-in-laws work is in this… :o)

cazzie (24516points)“Great Answer” (1points) Flag as…
rebbel's avatar

Thanks, guys and gals!

rebbel (35547points)“Great Answer” (0points) Flag as…

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