Estuary

Japanese: エスチュアリー

An inlet of the sea that occurs at the mouth of a river where it flows into the sea, also known as an estuary. Some are partially closed off when a sandbar forms near the outlet due to ocean currents or the flow of rivers, but generally they are shaped like a long, narrow funnel. They are valleys that formed during times of low sea levels, but later became drowned valleys as the sea level rose, and sediments accumulated and continued to accumulate without filling up. They are generally deep, and are sometimes used as good ports. Typical examples are the mouths of the Elbe River in Germany, the Thames River in the UK, and the St. Lawrence River in Canada.

Source : Heibonsha Encyclopedia About MyPedia Information

Japanese:

河川が海へと注ぐ河口部に生じる海の入り江のことで，三角江とも。出口付近に海流や河川の流下により砂州が形成され一部が閉じたものもあるが，おおむね細長い漏斗(ろうと)状の形態をなす。海面が低下した時代にできた谷が，その後の海面上昇によって溺れ谷(おぼれだに)となり，堆積物がたまって埋まることなく推移した場所である。概して水深が深く，良港として利用されることもある。ドイツのエルベ川や英国のテムズ川，カナダのセント・ローレンス川の河口部がその代表例。

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