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How can storms deposit sand and form beach ridges inside a lagoon?
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lagoon
Lagoons lie behind the coral reef and barrier islands surrounding Raiatea and Tahaa in the Society Islands, Pacific Ocean.
Storms can significantly alter the configuration of a lagoon by temporarily raising water levels, which allows waves to breach or overtop the surrounding barrier islands.
When these high-water events occur, they can drive sand inland from the barriers and deposit it over the finer mud typically found within the lagoon environment. This process can result in the formation of small beach ridges inside the lagoon. Additionally, severe storm-driven wave action can excavate washover channels—inlets that cut through the barrier—further facilitating the movement of sediment and altering the lagoon's landscape.1