Estuarine morphodynamics and development modified by floodplain formation

Abstract. Rivers and estuaries are flanked by floodplains built mud vegetation. Floodplains affect channel dynamics the overall system's pattern through apparent cohesion in banks filling of accommodation space hydraulic resistance. For rivers, effects mud, vegetation combination thought to stabilise narrow channel. However, thinness estuarine floodplain, comprised salt marsh mudflats, compared depth raises questions about possible floodplain as constraints on estuary dimensions. To test these effects, we created three a tidal flume: one with recruitment events two live species, control neither. Both reduced migration bank erosion stabilised channels bars. Effects include local flow velocity reduction concentration into channels, while velocities remained higher over mudflats. On other hand, lower reach muddy showed more than vegetated estuary. The main system-wide effect mudflats is reduce prism time from upstream downstream. landward narrows fills progressively, particularly for estuary, which effectively shortens tidally influenced also reduces energy seaward mouth area. As such, sufficient sediment supply limited size formation.