WANI Dictionary

Estuary

An estuary is semi closed water body that has a free connection with the open sea and that receives a fresh water flow.

Definitions in the literature

• An estuary is defined as “a semi enclosed coastal body of water which has a free connection with the open sea and within which sea water is measurably diluted with fresh water derived from land drainage” (Shier 1969) [1].
• According to Pritchard (1967), an estuary is defined as a halfclosed water body that has a free connection with the open sea [2].
• An estuary is defined as the transition between a river and the sea [3].