coastal lagoons
Barrier-enclosed tidal waters
Coastal lagoons are shallow bodies of water separated from the ocean by barrier islands, sandbars, or coral reefs, with limited tidal exchange through narrow inlets.
They form where sediment accumulates along shorelines, creating protected waters that mix fresh and salt water.
These ecosystems support diverse marine life and often serve as nurseries for fish and shellfish: The coastal lagoons of the Gulf Coast are critical habitats for migratory birds.
- sandbarUnderwater ridge of sediment
- barrier islandSandy strip guarding shoreline
- brackish waterMildly saline aquatic environment
- still watersMotionless bodies of water
- estuaryTidal mixing zone
mudflats · aquaculture · fishing village · mangrove forest · tidal flat · hypersaline · nursery · delta · salt marsh · silty · habitat restoration · mangroves · indigenous knowledge · reed · egrets · wetlands · coastal development · sea level rise