The Morphology if Freshwater Tidal River System: A Sedimentological Study on the Effects of Rising Sea Level

Abstract

The seas are rising, and with it, the tides are expanding into non-tidal rivers. The purpose of this study was to determine how the sedimentology and morphology of Coastal Plain rivers change with increasing tidal influence. Broad Creek is a tidally-influenced tributary of the Nanticoke River in Sussex County, DE which serves as an ideal field setting for studying this phenomenon. Field observations and sediment samples taken along the length of the river were used to identify the various depositional environments and how they changed along the river. This information was used to observe the morphological changes occurring due to sea level rise. By comparing upstream depositional environments with downstream depositional environments, we can better assess how increasing sea-level rise could impact Coastal Plain rivers in the future.