The Inlet and Barrier Lagoon Systems 



Extensive marsh fringes the mainland adjacent to TUckerton— in some areas, exceeding one 

 mile across. A peninsular marsh, referred to locally as the Great Bay Boulevard marsh, bisects 

 Great Bay and Little Egg Harbor lagoons. Based on its geomorphic configuration, the marsh has 

 most likely formed on part of the flood-tidal delta for the Little Egg and Beach Haven Inlets 

 system. Flood-tidal deltas or landward shoals are common depositional features of microtidal 

 barrier lagoon systems (Hayes and Kana, 1976). 



The inlet within the study area is unusual compared to many microtidal inlets because of its 

 large throat width between adjacent barrier beaches. It is locally referred to as two inlets— Beach 

 Haven to the north, which flushes Little Egg Harbor lagoon, and Little Egg Inlet to the south, 

 which flushes Great Bay. However, for all intents and purposes, the two form one system over 

 3,000 m (10,000 ft) wide, and there appears to be essentially free exchange of waters between 

 Great Bay and Little Egg Harbor. 



Great Bay Boulevard marsh is probably the largest and one of the only untouched marshes 

 in New Jersey. 1 The marsh adjacent to TUckerton has been altered by numerous mosquito ditches 

 that crisscross it every 50-100 m (165-330 ft). Long Beach Island, across Little Egg Harbor 

 lagoon, is developed and essentially devoid of fringing marsh, except for the southern tip, which 

 is part of Brigantine National Wildlife Refuge. 



Tides and Wetlands 



In contrast to the Charleston, South Carolina, study area, the TUckerton /Little Egg Harbor 

 area is typical of a microtidal barrier lagoon system. Little Egg Harbor and Great Bay are lagoons 

 enclosed by barrier islands that have formed within the past several thousand years after the last 

 deglaciation. Microtidal barrier islands, such as Long Beach Island, are generally separated by 

 widely spaced tidal inlets, which provide the principal flow between the lagoon and the ocean 

 (Hayes 1979). Tidal deltas typically form seaward and landward of the inlet as sediments become 

 trapped in low-velocity zones. Of primary interest here is the landward deposit, or "flood-tidal 

 delta," which derives its name from the tidal currents that supply most of the sediment (Hayes 

 1972). The flood-tidal delta of which Great Bay Boulevard marsh forms a portion is exposed to 

 higher tides because of its proximity to the inlet. Lagoon tidal range drops quickly away from the 

 inlet because of the relatively large volume of water in the basin with respect to the volume that 

 can flow through the inlet over one tidal cycle. Therefore, in microtidal settings, tidal range close 

 to the inlet will almost equal the ocean tidal range but in remote parts of the lagoon, it will be 

 much less. 



Tidal Frequencies and Coastal Habitats 



As in the Charleston area, six discrete habitats are found in the TUckerton study area. They 

 are distinguished by their elevation in relation to sea level and, thus, by how often they are 

 flooded: 



■ highland - flooded rarely 



■ transition wetlands - flooding may range from biweekly to annually 



■ high marshes - flooding may range from daily to biweekly 



■ low marshes - flooded once or twice daily up to one-half of the time 



■ tidal flats - flooded about half of the day 



■ open water - flooded more than half of the day 



The distribution of coastal wetlands within the New Jersey study area is balanced for tides 

 occurring twice each day. Because of the lunar cycle and other astronomic or climatic events, 



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