Tidalflat Landform

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4) TIDAL FLATS
INTRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION
In many areas of the world there are sections of the coast that are
protected from the normal waves and currents of the open sea. The protection
may be afforded by bars, spits, islands or simply by deep indentations in the
coastline. When streams empty into these protected bays or lagoons they
become partially filled with sediments and accumulated plant and animals life. In
this way, tidal flats are developed. They are flat areas, exposed at low water and
flooded at times of high tide. The component materials are generally fine silts,
clays and organic deposits. How ever, at stream mouth or at bay mouths where
currents are strong, the materials moved in by the running water may be sandy.
In this report, tidal flats are divided into three types: (1) mud flats, (2) marsh flats
and (3) sand flats. Mud flats are composed predominantly of silts and clays and
are almost, or completely, devoid of vegetation. Marsh flats are composed, to
substantial depths, of partially decayed organic grasses and support a growth of
low marsh grasses. Sand flats are composed largely of sands and generally lack
vegetative cover.
Mud and marsh flats are two extremes of a wide range of conditions.
Most flats fall somewhere within these two extremes so that it is difficult to
classify and given area as being definitely one or the other. Sand flats are rare.
IDENTIFYING FEATURES:
I. BOUNDARY CHARACTERISTICS
A. MAINLAND BOUNDARY VARIABLE, DEPENDING ON EROSION OF

UPLAND.
The area is usually elongated parallel to the coastline but may, in many
cases, extent farther into the mainland along low valleys. The land boundary
depends upon the type of mainland land form.
B. ONE SEGMENT ALWAYS BOUNDED BY WATER.
The seaward boundary is often formed by a smooth series of beach

ridges but the area may also be in direct contact with the ocean, or a lagoon, with
numerous indentations along the boundary.
CONTENTS
53
II. TOPOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS
A. THE LOWEST LAND IN THE AREA.
B. EXTREMELY LEVEL AREA SUBMERGED DURING HIGH TIDE.
The area is extremely level. Maximum relief over the whole area is
seldom more than a few feet, although there may be a few isolated rock islands
projecting up from the otherwise level plain.
III. DRAINAGE CHARACTERISTICS
A. MUD AND MARSH FLATS: INTRICATE, OFTEN TREELIKE

SYSTEM OF CHANNELS WITH NUMEROUS SHARP BENDS AND
MEANDERS. CHANNELS WANDER EXTENSIVELY
These channels originate and are confined within the tidal area. They
usually are wide compared to their length and may be almost of uniform width
throughout their course, their course, tapering only at their head ends. Sharp
bends and meanders are common. In many locations, two or more channel
systems may join with each other, creating broad irregular islands. The channels
usually join other channels with right - angled junctions and each junction is
distinguished by one sharp point.
B. SANDY FLATS : A FEW SHORT, SWEEPING, POORLY DEFINED

PARALLEL CHANNELS.
Adjacent to many of the larger streams, the drainage system may

consist of only a few poorly defined channels running parallel to each other over
the generally coarser material in the area. There are generally no tributaries.
IV. VEGETATIVE CHARACTERISTICS
A. VEGETATION IS EITHER ABSENT OR INDISCERNIBLE.
Mud Flats : Because of the periodic flooding by salt water, there is little
vegetation developed in the areas aside from scattered marsh grass.
Marsh Flats : In these areas, the ground cover consists of a dense

growth of grass with water covering the roots.
CONTENTS
54
V. TONE CHARACTERISTICS
A. MUD AND MARSH FLATS : MAY BE UNIFORM OF NON -

UNIFORM IN TONE.
Uniform materials, a high water table, and lack of vegetation, or

uniform vegetation, may cause uniform tone patterns. Light fringes are often
found along the channels. Marsh flats generally have a complex tone pattern
ranging from white to black. The various tones indicate differences in height and
type of salt - water vegetation. In some cases, these differences may be
significant with respect to living organisms. For instance, oysters feed upon small
organisms that exist in marshes under certain conditions. These conditions are
reflected by certain tones readily located on the airphotos.
B. SANDY FLATS : LIGHT TONES WITH OCCASIONAL DARK

STREAKS.
The lighter tones are associated with the coarser materials or

shallow water.
VI. SUMMARY
Tidal flats are easily recognized by their proximity to the sea, low
elevation and flat topography. Drainage usually begins and ends in the same
area and may occur as distinctive, intricately winding channels or large, broadly
sweeping streams with few tributaries. Mud flats commonly have a uniform dull
gray color tone; marsh flats commonly have none - uniform tones; sandy flats are
usually white to light gray.
CONTENTS
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Stereo pair # 9. TIDAL - South of Bassein
This is a mangrove swamp in which all the land is low and flat. The
darker tones are due to vegetative cover, where as most of the light areas are
cultivated fields. The curved whiplash, tentacle - like tributaries which originate
within the swamp are typical. The confluence of a tributary with larger stream is
characteristically developed with pointed and rounded banks at the mouth
opposing one another as at (C).
The elongated feature at (A) is a low beach line bounded on both sides
by definite light colored vegetation growing in low swampy ground. The
considerable difference in vegetative growth on these two areas gives an
unusual impression that should be described at this point. (A) is slightly higher
than the ground on either side. The soil is sandy and well - drained, as can be
seen with the tracks that wind through the forest. However, the low brush in this
area and the tall vegetation in the swamp area often gives a psuedo - relief
appearance making the area (A) appear to be lower than the swampy area
covered with tall trees. Actually (A) is several feet higher than adjacent ground
and the false impression on relief if given by the apparent difference in height
with the vegetation.
CONTENTS
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Stereo pair # 10. Tidal FLAT - South of Tavoy
The area of dark tone in the east and northeast is upland. The light
tone is tidal flat with intermediate tone along the drainage channels. Numerous
tentacle - like tributary structure which originate in the tidal are and drain into the
wide tidal creeks in the same area are characteristic. The pattern of junction of
small stream to larger creeks is characterized by opposing sharp and rounded
points as illustrated at (J).
CONTENTS

Tidalflat Landform

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52

INTRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION

A. MAINLAND BOUNDARY VARIABLE, DEPENDING ON EROSION OF

B. ONE SEGMENT ALWAYS BOUNDED BY WATER.

The seaward boundary is often formed by a smooth series of beach

II. TOPOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS

A. THE LOWEST LAND IN THE AREA.

B. EXTREMELY LEVEL AREA SUBMERGED DURING HIGH TIDE.

III. DRAINAGE CHARACTERISTICS

A. MUD AND MARSH FLATS: INTRICATE, OFTEN TREELIKE

B. SANDY FLATS : A FEW SHORT, SWEEPING, POORLY DEFINED

Adjacent to many of the larger streams, the drainage system may

IV. VEGETATIVE CHARACTERISTICS

A. VEGETATION IS EITHER ABSENT OR INDISCERNIBLE.

Marsh Flats : In these areas, the ground cover consists of a dense

A. MUD AND MARSH FLATS : MAY BE UNIFORM OF NON -

Uniform materials, a high water table, and lack of vegetation, or

B. SANDY FLATS : LIGHT TONES WITH OCCASIONAL DARK

The lighter tones are associated with the coarser materials or

Stereo pair # 9. TIDAL - South of Bassein

Stereo pair # 10. Tidal FLAT - South of Tavoy

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