InTeGrate Modules and Courses >Coastal Processes, Hazards and Society > Student Materials > Module 3: Coastal Systems: Landscapes and Processes > Deltaic Coasts > Delta Morphologies and Driving Processes
InTeGrate's Earth-focused Modules and Courses for the Undergraduate Classroom
showLearn More
hideHide
These materials are part of a collection of classroom-tested modules and courses developed by InTeGrate. The materials engage students in understanding the earth system as it intertwines with key societal issues. The collection is freely available and ready to be adapted by undergraduate educators across a range of courses including: general education or majors courses in Earth-focused disciplines such as geoscience or environmental science, social science, engineering, and other sciences, as well as courses for interdisciplinary programs.
Explore the Collection »
show Download
hideHide
The student materials are available for offline viewing below. Downloadable versions of the instructor materials are available from this location on the instructor materials pages. Learn more about using the different versions of InTeGrate materials »

Download a PDF of all web pages for the student materials

Download a zip file that includes all the web pages and downloadable files from the student materials

For the Instructor

These student materials complement the Coastal Processes, Hazards and Society Instructor Materials. If you would like your students to have access to the student materials, we suggest you either point them at the Student Version which omits the framing pages with information designed for faculty (and this box). Or you can download these pages in several formats that you can include in your course website or local Learning Managment System. Learn more about using, modifying, and sharing InTeGrate teaching materials.

Delta Morphologies and Driving Processes

Variations in delta morphology tell us something about the processes that cause and drive the evolution of deltaic environments. Globally it is widely accepted that there are three end member morphologies of deltas that reflect the relative influence of wave energy and tidal energy in the receiving basin or sediment input by the source river into the receiving basin. On a ternary plot, these three end members each represent one apex of the plot and all deltas fall somewhere on this plot (Figure 3.29). Deltas that are primarily the result of high rates of sediment input tend to be elongated because of their rapid outbuilding associated with high rates of deposition into the receiving basin (Figure 3.30). Wave influenced deltas have smooth, often arcuate shorelines with numerous ridges that reflect the longshore transport of river-delivered sediment by the high wave energy (Figure 3.31). Tidally influenced deltas have numerous shoreline perpendicular tidal passes and tributaries with sediment bodies aligned parallel to the direction of tidal exchange (Figure 3.32).

These materials are part of a collection of classroom-tested modules and courses developed by InTeGrate. The materials engage students in understanding the earth system as it intertwines with key societal issues. The collection is freely available and ready to be adapted by undergraduate educators across a range of courses including: general education or majors courses in Earth-focused disciplines such as geoscience or environmental science, social science, engineering, and other sciences, as well as courses for interdisciplinary programs.
Explore the Collection »