Creek (tidal)
Encyclopedia
A tidal creek, tidal channel, or estuary
is the portion of a stream
that is affected by ebb and flow of ocean tide
s, in the case that the subject stream discharges to an ocean, sea or strait. Thus this portion of the stream has variable salinity
and electrical conductivity over the tidal cycle. Due to the temporal variability of water quality
parameters within the tidally influenced zone, there are unique biota
associated with tidal creeks, which biota are often specialised to such zones.
Creeks may often dry to a muddy channel with little or no flow at low tide, but often with significant depth of water at high tide.
and in many other countries in the Commonwealth
, as well as some parts of the United States (near the Chesapeake Bay
, parts of New England
), a creek is a tidal water channel. In parts of southwest England and Wales
, the term 'pill' is used, and is found in placenames such as Huntspill
.
On the India
and Pakistan
borders the term also applies to the salt water inlets enclosed by mangroves. Creeks are found dispersed all along the Indian coast. In the Florida Keys
, a creek is a narrow channel between islands.
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
is the portion of a stream
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
that is affected by ebb and flow of ocean tide
Tide
Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the moon and the sun and the rotation of the Earth....
s, in the case that the subject stream discharges to an ocean, sea or strait. Thus this portion of the stream has variable salinity
Salinity
Salinity is the saltiness or dissolved salt content of a body of water. It is a general term used to describe the levels of different salts such as sodium chloride, magnesium and calcium sulfates, and bicarbonates...
and electrical conductivity over the tidal cycle. Due to the temporal variability of water quality
Water quality
Water quality is the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water. It is a measure of the condition of water relative to the requirements of one or more biotic species and or to any human need or purpose. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which...
parameters within the tidally influenced zone, there are unique biota
Biota (ecology)
Biota are the total collection of organisms of a geographic region or a time period, from local geographic scales and instantaneous temporal scales all the way up to whole-planet and whole-timescale spatiotemporal scales. The biota of the Earth lives in the biosphere.-See...
associated with tidal creeks, which biota are often specialised to such zones.
Creeks may often dry to a muddy channel with little or no flow at low tide, but often with significant depth of water at high tide.
Names
In British EnglishBritish English
British English, or English , is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the United Kingdom from forms used elsewhere...
and in many other countries in the Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
, as well as some parts of the United States (near the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
, parts of New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
), a creek is a tidal water channel. In parts of southwest England and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, the term 'pill' is used, and is found in placenames such as Huntspill
Huntspill
West Huntspill and East Huntspill are villages and civil parishes on the Huntspill Level, near Highbridge, Somerset, West of England. The civil parish of West Huntspill contains the hamlet of Alstone, and East Huntspill includes Cote....
.
On the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
borders the term also applies to the salt water inlets enclosed by mangroves. Creeks are found dispersed all along the Indian coast. In the Florida Keys
Florida Keys
The Florida Keys are a coral archipelago in southeast United States. They begin at the southeastern tip of the Florida peninsula, about south of Miami, and extend in a gentle arc south-southwest and then westward to Key West, the westernmost of the inhabited islands, and on to the uninhabited Dry...
, a creek is a narrow channel between islands.
Examples
There are thousands of examples of tidal creeks throughout the world. A few specific ones are:- Burn of AyrelandBurn of AyrelandThe Burn of Ayreland is a northwesterly flowing coastal stream on Mainland Orkney, Scotland that discharges to the Clestrain Sound about two miles south of Stenness. Draining chiefly agricultural lands elevated mosses and moorland. This stream has a notable lack of turbidity and a pH level of...
, Mainland, Orkney - Americano CreekAmericano CreekAmericano Creek is a long westward-flowing stream in the California counties of Sonoma and Marin, which flows into the Estero Americano, a long estuary, and thence to the Pacific Ocean. This article covers both watercourses.-Course:...
, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, USA - Frog Creek, Tampa BayTampa BayTampa Bay is a large natural harbor and estuary along the Gulf of Mexico on the west central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay."Tampa Bay" is not the name of any municipality...
, FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, USA