Tasas de sedimentación reciente en la Ría de Huelva

Abstract

The Ria of Huelva is located at the central sector of the Huelva Coast. It Is a mesotidal estuary supplied by two rivers (Tinto and Odiel). Tinto and Odiel rivers have small mean discharges (100.48 Hm3 and 429.40 Hm3) but they are strongly seasonal. The mean tidal range is two meters. Sedimentation is controlled by the water mixing model, which is well mixed in both cases. Water usually has high concentrations of suspended matter, so the sediment is mainly muddy in the central basin. The fluvial estuarine channels may accumulate fluvial sandy bars during winter discharges. The outer estuary displays sandy facies of marine origin.

The results of accumulation rates t210Pb y UC) supplied by this paper suggest a direct relation between the agradation rate, the depositional subenvironment and the lithology. These rates oscillate between 1 and 4 mm/year for subtidal and intertidal unvegetated muddy environments and grow to about 6 mm/year for sandy subtidal environments and more than 1 cm/year in vegetated marshes