What Are Lagoons :
Lagoons are a type of wetland that is usually fresh water and slow moving. They are often used for wastewater treatment and as a result, can be a source of pollution. Lagoons can also be a great place for wildlife to live and can provide many recreational opportunities.
How lagoons form:
Lagoons form when a river or stream deposits sediment in an area where the current slows down or stops. This deposition process creates a bend in the river or stream, which is then filled in with sediments from the river or stream. The new body of water created by this process is called a lagoon.
Types of lagoons:
There three main types of lagoons:
estuarine, coastal, and oceanic.
Estuarine lagoons are created when a river meets the ocean. The fresh water and salt water mix together to create an estuary. These lagoons are usually found near the mouth of a river and can be quite large.
Coastal lagoons are formed when a river empties into a bay or estuary. Unlike estuarine lagoons, coastal lagoons are not always salty. They can be filled with fresh water, brackish water (a mixture of fresh and salt water), or salt water, depending on the location.
Oceanic lagoons are formed when a barrier separates a shallow bay from the open ocean. These lagoons are often quite large and can be found in many different parts of the world.
Polluted lagoons:
Lagoons can be a source of pollution when they are used for wastewater treatment. The wastewater that is discharged into a lagoon can contain harmful chemicals and bacteria that can contaminate the water and harm the aquatic life that lives there.
Benefits of lagoons:
Despite their potential for pollution, lagoons can also offer many benefits. They can provide a great place for wildlife to live, including fish, birds, and mammals. Lagoons can also be a great place for recreation, offering opportunities for fishing, swimming, bo, and sailing. And finally, lagoons are often beautiful natural sites thatall can enjoyl.
How are lagoons formed:
Lagoons are natural formations found in the coastal regions of the world. They are basically long strips where water fills up due to seawater ingression or freshwater discharge. Curiously, lagoons are different from both ponds and lakes.
Ponds are small human-made reservoirs of water which cannot be defined as large bodies of water because they don’t have ocean entry points to merge with larger bodies of sea water. On the other hand, lagoons have oceanic connections but aren’t really deep enough for boats to navigate their depthr. Lagoons give you that happy medium between pond and lake!
Lakes on the other hand, can contain fresh or saltwater depending on they were formed. All lagoons are formed in between islands or mainland by the way of continuous sedimentation or deposition. They can also form when rivers join with lakes, seas or oceans due to the littoral drift effect which is basically where marine sediments pile up on one side of a river delta.
Lagoons are so interesting because their depth and width depends on numerous factors like the shape of the island leading into them, tidal effects and wave patterns (if applicable) etc. If you want to learn more about these coastal landforms, all you need to do is keep reading!
Different types:
There is essentially two different types of lagoons;
1- Brackish Lagoons:
These are known as transitional zones where the salinity of the water changes between fresh & saltwater.
2- Marine Lagoons:
When compared to brackish lagoons, marine lagoons are less salty and provide an ideal habitat for birds like terns, skimmers etc due to the abundance of food sources which include algae, fish, invertebrates (insects) barnacles etc. It’s no wonder why these coastal landforms are so popular with migratory bird species!
Onshore winds affect how waves manage their way into the lagoon. If winds are strong enough they can change direction of currents leading into lagoons where it can deposit materials like seaweed on adjacent beaches that lead into them. This is more likely in marine lagoons than brackish ones.
What are lagoons where are they found:
Lagoons exist in other parts of the world too. Take Madagascar for example, where there are lagoons on the west coast and Mozambique, just off the eastern coast of Africa.
1- Gulf of Mexico:
The gulf of Mexico contains a few coastal landforms such as barrier islands which is essentially an island that protects part or whole of a coastline from the open ocean or waves crashing onto it. Lagoons found here are variations of both brackish & marine ones with some being more saltier than others due to their proximity to salt water bodies like seas & oceans etc.
2- Coastal California:
This popular holiday destination has its fair share of stunning lago surrounding it! You can find lagoons here like the Orange County lagoon, The San Joaquin – Sacramento lagoon and The Carquinez Strait which separates The San Francisco Bay from San Pablo Bay.
3- Australian Coastline:
Australia has a beautiful coastline with lagoons littered along it like the Exmouth Gulf & Shark Bay (which is another protected area), Shark Bay Marine Park (WA) and Pumicestone Passage.
4- Western Africa’s Guinea Coastline:
This region of African is known for its lagoons such as Tanbi Wetland Sanctuary (Gambia), Richard Toll Zoo Park Lagoon (Benin), Katchikally Lagoon and Bao Bolong Wetland Reserve (Mali).