partially mixed estuary

A partially mixed estuary is a coastal body of water where river water and seawater combine, with a moderate degree of mixing. This mixing is primarily driven by the strong tidal currents, which cause significant turbulence. As a result, the fresh water from the river mixes more thoroughly with the salt water from the sea compared to a salt wedge estuary. This process leads to a more pronounced exchange of water between the surface and bottom layers. In the Northern Hemisphere, the Coriolis effect causes the surface flow to be stronger on the right side when facing the sea, while the bottom flow is stronger on the opposite side. These estuaries are biologically productive due to the trapping of nutrients and the mixing of fresh and saltwater.1