IV-48 



have done along the southwest coast if rainfall were greater 

 in that area (Figure IV. 1.20) of easily erodable mountains. 



Pacific Northwest Estuarine Region : Cape Mendocino to the 

 Canadian border. 



The continental shelf and coastal configurations are similar 

 to those of the Pacific Southwest, but ocean water temperatures 

 are lower here; the movement of the California current away 

 from the coast is not as pronounced, and heavier rainfall has 

 resulted in some major rivers cutting throuqh the coastal 

 mountains to form deeply embayed estuarine systems. See 

 Figure IV. 1.21. Extensive erosion and sedimentation have 

 caused wide tidal flats, bars, and shoals to be typical of 

 these systems. 



The straits of Jual de Fuca and Puget Sound, which were 

 glacier-formed, do not have as severe sedimentation as exists 

 alonq the ocean coast, and have retained much of their oriqinal 

 configuration. 



Alaska Estuarine Region : All of Alaska including the Aleutian 

 and Bering Sea Islands. 



The dominant factors in this region are temperature and preci- 

 pitation. Water temperatures are near freezing, and much of 

 the precipitation falls as snow. The continental shelf is wide 

 all throuqh the region, and tide ranges are very large. The 



