Which estuary is specifically a fjord inlet that remains connected to the sea and has a brackish water at its mouth?

Which estuary is specifically a fjord inlet that remains connected to the sea and has a brackish water at its mouth?

• A. Estuary
• B. Fjord Estuary
• C. Fjord
• D. Fringing Reef

Answer: (B)

Brackish water at the mouth signals mixing of freshwater and seawater in an tidal estuarine area. When that mixing happens in a fjord—that is, a glacier-carved valley that stays connected to the sea—the resulting coastal system is a fjord estuary. A fjord on its own is a glacial valley filled with seawater and isn’t defined by freshwater mixing, while an estuary is a general term for any river-to-sea mixing zone and isn’t specific to a fjord. A fringing reef is a completely different coastal feature.

Brackish water at the mouth signals mixing of freshwater and seawater in an tidal estuarine area. When that mixing happens in a fjord—that is, a glacier-carved valley that stays connected to the sea—the resulting coastal system is a fjord estuary. A fjord on its own is a glacial valley filled with seawater and isn’t defined by freshwater mixing, while an estuary is a general term for any river-to-sea mixing zone and isn’t specific to a fjord. A fringing reef is a completely different coastal feature.