Tidal Flat Inundation Events 



Tidal flat inundation events were considered to be 

 large, positive- flow events during which the Rincon 

 Overflow Channel was activated, diverting fresh water 

 into the tidal flats of the upper delta and immersing, to 

 some degree, those higher marshes (Figure 3-19). 

 These events (Events 16 and 25 confirmed, and 

 Events 17, 18 and 36 strongly suspected) were 

 relatively rare during the demonstration period. 

 Although these tidal flats were also periodically 

 inundated by other hydro-meteorological forces {e.g., 

 the storm surge of Hurricane Bret during Event 35), 

 such non-riverine events were not considered to be 

 tidal flat inundation events because fresh water was not 

 significandy involved in the mechanism. Without the 

 demonstration project, these tidal flats would not have 

 been direcdy freshened, as the largest of the natural 

 diversions that would have occurred (Event 25) would 

 not have exceeded the confines of the Rincon Bayou 

 channel in the upper delta. 



Figure 3-19: View of diverted fresh water in the tidal 

 flats area in the upper Nueces Delta during activation 

 of the Rincon Overflow Channel (Event 16). The view is 

 looking east from the outfall of the overflow channel. The 

 photograph was taken on June 27, 1997. 



Photo courtesy of the Bureau of Reclamation. 



3-24 ♦♦♦ Hydrography 



