Características hidrográficas del estuario de la laguna Mar Chiquita.

RETA, RAUL; MARTOS, PATRICIA; PERILLO, GERARDO M. E.; PICCOLO, M CINTIA; FERRANTE, ANGEL

Reserva de biosfera Mar Chiquita: Características físicas, biológicas y ecológicas.

Ed. Martín

Lugar: Mar del Plata; Año: 2001; p. 31 - 52

Mar Chiquita is theonly coastal lagoon of Argentine that is chocked with a long inlet. According to its hydrodynamic it can bedivided in a freshwater zone, characterized by continental water discharge without tidal effects and anestuarine zone, located from the mouth to the effective limit of tidal influence. Depths typically measuredin the estuarine area are between 1,5-2 m up to 3 m near mouth. Local astronomical tide is characterizedas mixed, with semidiurnal dominance and diurnal inequalities. Due to geomorphologic characteristics ofinlet this is a hiposincronic estuary where the tidal amplitude decreasetoward head. Not only longitudinalwind component but also tides are the main driving force, generating oscillations in water level. Windsfrom southern quadrant (SW-SE) prevent water lagoon outflow increasing the water level, whereas windsfrom northern quadrant (NW-NE) restrain the oceanic inflow decreasing the water level. Thesesituationsare strongly influenced with tides, consequently the former situation matched with spring tide produce aninflow of oceanic water several kilometer inside whereas the later matched with neap tide restrain stronglythe oceanic inflow into the inlet. During typical SE storm a large high water level can be observed. Watertemperatures are coupled with air temperatures indicating a strong air-water interaction.