ECOLOGY OF BUZZARDS BAY: An Estuarine Profile 



23 



B.P. when the rate of rise slowed markedly. During 

 this initial period almost all of the current main basin 

 (and many of the current embayments) became 

 flooded with sea water. (Recent acceleration in the 

 rate of relative sea-level rise is discussed in 

 Chapter 6.) 



Given the relatively uniform depth of the Buz- 

 zards Bay Basin (Fig. 2.4) the transition from emer- 

 gent upland to submerged bay bottom would have 



probably occurred relatively rapidly (over a few 

 thousand years). Flooding would necessarily have 

 followed the depth contours, which get shallower 

 moving north toward the head of the bay and later- 

 ally along the axis toward the western shore. Current 

 bathymetry is smoother than before flooding be- 

 cause of marine deposition in the valleys and 

 holes. Most of the current bay is less than 1 5.2-m 

 deep, with the exception of Quicks Hole (38.4 m) 



Bathymetry contours labeled in feet below sea level 



70^5' 



70^0' 



70°45' 



70 o 40' 



Fig. 2.4. Bathymetric contours of Buzzards Bay adjusted to mean low water datum 

 From Moore (1963). 



