Coastal Restoration Trust of New Zealand

Coastal Dune Ecosystem Reference Database

Circulation and Sedimentation in a tidal influenced fjord lake: Lake McKerrow, New Zealand Technical Report

Author
Pickrill, R.A. Irwin, J. Shakespeare, B.S
Year
1981
Journal / Source
Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science
Publisher / Organisation
Elsevier
Volume
12
Number
1
Month
January
Pages
23-37
Keywords
Lake McKerrow,  fjord lake,  Holocene barrier spit,  oxygenated waters,  epilimnion overlie saline,  deoxygenated waters,  hypolimnion,  Upper Hollyford River,  pycnocline,  silt,  delta,  sub-laucustrine channel,  turbidity currents
Summary
Lake McKerrow is a tide-influenced fjord lake, separated from the open sea by a Holocene barrier spit. Fresh oxygenated waters of the epilimnion overlie saline, deoxygenated waters of the hypolimnion. During winter, water from the Upper Hollyford River interflows along the pycnocline, depositing coarse silt on the steep delta and transporting finer sediment down lake. An extensive sub-laucustrine channel system on the forest delta slope is possibly maintained by turbidity currents. Saline waters of the hypolimnion are periodically replenished. During high tides and low lake levels saline water flows into the lake and downslope into the lake basin as a density current in a well defined channel.
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