shallow waters
Ankle-deep coastal areas
Shallow waters are areas where the water is not deep—near shorelines, over reefs, or in wading pools.
The phrase often implies navigability concerns: boats run aground in shallow waters.
Figuratively, shallow waters suggest safe or unchallenging territory: We're still in shallow waters with this project—the hard part comes next.
- wetlandsWater-saturated terrain
- coral reefsCalcium carbonate marine structures
- estuariesRiver-sea meeting points
- seagrass bedsUnderwater flowering plant ecosystems
- biodiversityRange of life forms
mangroves · lagoons · wading · depth · fishing · tidal flats · low tide · sand bars · sunlit · salinity · turbidity · ankle-deep · knee deep · paddling · spawning grounds · fish hatchery · superficiality · bays
- marine habitatskelp forest, kelp forests, estuaries, tide pool, tide pools
- Azov SeaMariupol, brackish water, anchovy, sprat, gobies
- watersoceans, seas, Red Sea, lakes, Black Sea
- flamingo sanctuaryflamingos, pink flamingos, wading pools, wetlands, feeding stations
- fishing watersfishing grounds, trout stream, freshwater lakes, trout streams, fishing hole
- water bodiessea, lakes, lake, rivers, streams
shallow watersdeep waters
Submerged areas of great extent
the deep · deep sea · ocean depths · deep ocean · open ocean
shallow watersdeep water
Significantly submerged aquatic zone
deep waters · over one's head · navigable waters · open sea · blue water