Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Estuaries of South America pp 161–194Cite as

Physical Characteristics and Processes of the Río de la Plata Estuary

  • Chapter

Part of the book series: Environmental Science ((ENVSCIENCE))

Abstract

The Río de la Plata Estuary, located at 35°00’S on the Atlantic coast, drains the second largest basin in South America. The drainage area covers over 3.1 x 106 km2 and includes parts of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. It is the most developed basin in South America: the population of the hinterland is estimated to be 30 million inhabitants. Two of the major ports in the region, the cities of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Montevideo, Uruguay, lie along its shores. The Río de la Plata also provides access to ports upstream along the Paraná, Paraguay, and Uruguay Rivers. Biologically, the estuary is also very important (Cousseau 1985; Boschi 1988). The outer region, where the fresh waters rich in nutrients interact with the coastal waters, is the spawning and nursery area of many coastal species. Because of its regional importance, the Río de la Plata Estuary has been the subject of many research programs which try to understand different aspects of the environment and ecosystem.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Allen GP, Sauzay G, Castaing P (1976) Transport and deposition of suspended sediment in the Gironde Estuary, France. In: Wiley ML (ed) Estuarine processes. Academic Press, New York, vol II, pp 63–81

    Google Scholar 

  • Allen GP, Salomon JC, Bassoullet P, Du Penhoat Y, De Grandpré C (1980) Effects of tides on mixing and suspended sediment transport in macrotidal estuaries. Sediment Geol 26: 69–90

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alvarez JA (1973) Predicción numérica de la onda de tormenta en el Río de la Plata. PhD thesis Univ Nac de Buenos Aires

    Google Scholar 

  • Alvarez JA, Balay MA (1970) Ondas de tormenta en el Atlántico Sur. Bol SHN 7: 15–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Balay MA (1959) Causes and periodicity of large floods in Río de la Plata. Int Hydrographic Rev 36: 123–151

    Google Scholar 

  • Balay MA (1961) El Río de la Plata: entre la atmósfera y el mar. Bol SHN H-641

    Google Scholar 

  • Barnes CA, Duxbury AC, Morse BA (1972) Circulation and selected properties of the Columbia River effluent at sea. In: Pruter AT, Alverson DL (eds) The Columbia River Estuary and adjacent ocean waters. Univ of Washington Press, Seattle pp 41–80

    Google Scholar 

  • Bazán JM, Janiot LJ (1991) Zona de máxima turbidez y su relacion con otros párametros del Río de la Plata. Servicio Hidrografía Naval Inf Técnico 65/91 Buenos Aires

    Google Scholar 

  • Bazán JM, Arraga E (1993) El Río de la Plata, un sistema fluvio-marftimo frágil? Acercamiento a una definicion de la calidad de sus aguas. Conf de Limnología, La Plata 71–82

    Google Scholar 

  • Beardsley RC, Boicourt WC (1981) On estuarine and continental shelf circulation in the Middle Atlantic Bight. In: Warren BA, Wunsch C (eds) Evolution of physical oceanography. MIT Press Cambridge pp 198–233

    Google Scholar 

  • Boschi EE (1988) El ecosistema estuarial del Río de la Plata (Argentina y Uruguay). An Inst Cienc del Mar y Limnol, Univ Nal Autón México, 15: 159–182

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowman MJ (1988) Estuarine fronts. In: Kjerfve B (ed) Hydrodynamics of estuaries: estuarine physics. CRC Press Boca Raton, vol I, pp 85–132

    Google Scholar 

  • Brandhorst W, Castello JP (1971) Evaluación de los recursos de anchoíta (Engraulis anchoita) frente a la Argentina y Uruguay. I. Las condiciones oceanográficas, sinopsis del conocimiento actual sobre la anchoíta y el plan para su evaluación. Proyecto de Desarrollo Pesquero FAO Tech Rep 29 Mar del Plata

    Google Scholar 

  • Brandhorst W, Castello JP, Perez Habiaga R, Roa BH (1971) Evaluación de los recursos de anchoíta (Engraulis anchoita) frente a la Argentina y Uruguay. IV. Abundancia relativa entre las latitudes 34030′-44010′S en relación a las condiciones ambientales en agosto-septiembre de 1970. Proyecto de Desarrollo Pesquero FAO Tech Rep 36 Mar del Plata

    Google Scholar 

  • Carreto JI, Negri RM, Benavidez HR (1982) Fitoplancton, pigmentos y nutrientes. Resultados Campañas III y VI del B/I Shinkai Maru 1978. In: Lesculescu V (ed) Campañas de investigación pesquera realizadas en el Mar Argentino por los B/I “Shinkai Maru” y “Walter Herwig” y el B/P “Marburg” 1978 y 1979. Contrib INIDEP 383 pp 181–201

    Google Scholar 

  • Carreto JI, Negri RM, Benavidez HR (1986) Algunas características del florecimiento del fitoplancton en el frente del Río de la Plata. 1: Los sistemas nutritivos. Rev Inv y Des Pesq 5: 7–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Cavallotto JL (1987) Morfología y dinámica sedimentaria en el Río de la Plata. Informe de Beca CIC Buenos Aires

    Google Scholar 

  • Cavallotto JL (1988) Descripción e interpretación morfólogica del Río de la Plata. Simposio Internacional sobre el Holoceno en America del Sur, Comm on the Quaternary of S America Argentina

    Google Scholar 

  • Chao S-Y (1988a) River-forced estuarine plume. J Phys Oceanogr 18: 72–88

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chao S-Y (1988b) Wind-driven motion of estuarine plumes. J Phys Oceanogr 18: 1144–1166

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chao S-Y, Boicourt WC (1986) Onset of estuarine plumes. J Phys Oceanogr 16: 3849–3860

    Google Scholar 

  • Comisión Administradora del Río de la Plata (CARP) (1989) Estudio para la evaluacion de la contaminación en el Río de la Plata, CARP Montevideo, Buenos Aires

    Google Scholar 

  • Ciappesoni HH, Salio P (1996) Pronóstico de sudestadas en el Río de la Plata a corto plazo. V II Congr Latinoam e Ibérico de Meteorología, Buenos Aires, Abstract

    Google Scholar 

  • Conomos TJ, Gross MG, Barnes CA, Richards FA (1972) River-ocean nutrient relations in summer. In: Pruter AT, Alverson DL (eds) The Columbia River Estuary and adjacent ocean waters. Univ of Washington Press, Seattle, pp 151–175

    Google Scholar 

  • Cousseau MB (1985) Los peces del Río de la Plata y su frente marítimo. In: Yañez-Arancibia A (ed) Fish community ecology in estuaries and coastal lagoons: Towards an ecosystem integration. UNAM Press Míxico pp 515–534

    Google Scholar 

  • Cochrane JD, Kelly FJ (1986) Low-frequency circulation on the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf. J Geophys Res 91: 10645–10659

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Depetris PJ, Griffin JJ (1968) Suspended load in the Río de la Plata drainage basin. Sedimentology 11: 53–60

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dyer KR (1986) Coastal and estuarine sediment dynamics. J Wiley and Sons, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Dyer KR (1995) Sediment transport processes in estuaries. In: Perillo GME (ed) Geomorphology and sedimentology of estuaries. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 423–449

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Etala MP (1995) Un modelo para onda de tormenta en el Río de la Plata y plataforma continental, V I Congr Latinoam Cs Mar (COLACMAR) Mar del Plata, Abstract

    Google Scholar 

  • Etala MP (1996a) Modelado de onda de tormenta en el Río de la Plata. Rev Inst Arg Navegación 5: 13–25

    Google Scholar 

  • Etala MP (1996b) Primeras experiencias en la determinación en tiempo real del efecto atmosférico sobre el nivel del agua. Congr Latinoam e Ibérico de Meteorología, Buenos Aires, Abstract

    Google Scholar 

  • Fong DA, Geyer WR, Signell RP (1997) The wind-forced response on a buoyant coastal current: observations of the western Gulf of Maine plume. J Marine Systems 12: 69–81

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Framiñan MB, Brown OB (1993) Descripción del campo de temperaturas de superficie en el Río de la Plata exterior y la plataforma continental adyacente. Workshop on Comparative Studies of Oceanic, Coastal and Estuarine Processes in the Temperate Zones, Inter-American Institute Montevideo, Abstract

    Google Scholar 

  • Framiñan MB, Brown OB (1996) Study of the Rfo de la Plata turbidity front Part I: Spatial and temporal distribution. Cont Shelf Res 16: 1259–1282

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gagliardini DA, Karszenbaun H, Legeckis R, Klemas V (1984) Application of Landsat MSS, NOAA-TI- ROS AVHRR and Nimbus CZCS to study La Plata River and its interaction with the ocean. Remote Sensing Environ 15: 21–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garvine RW (1987) Estuarine plumes and fronts in shelf waters: a layer model. J Phys Oceanogr 17: 1877–1896

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gelfenbaum G (1983) Suspended-sediment response to semidiurnal and fortnightly tidal variations in a mesotidal estuary. Columbia River, USA, Mar Geol 52: 39–57

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Geyer WR (1993) The importance of suppression of turbulence by stratification on the estuarine turbidity maximum. Estuaries 16: 113–125

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Geyer WR (1997) Influence of wind on dynamics and flushing of shallow estuaries. Estuarine Coastal Shelf Sci 44: 713–722

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glorioso PD, Flather RA (1995) A barotropic model of the currents off SE South America. J Geophys Res 100: 13427–13440

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grabeman I, Krause G (1989) Transport processes of suspended matter derived from time series in a tidal estuary. J Geophys Res 94: 14373–14379

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guarga R, Vinzon S, Rodriguez H, Piedra Cueva I, Kaplan E (1992) Corrientes y sedimentos en el Río de la Plata. CARP

    Google Scholar 

  • Guerrero R, Acha E, Framinan M, Lasta C (1997) Physical oceanography of the Río de la Plata Estuary — Argentina. Cont Shelf Res 17: 727–742

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hansen DV, Rattray Jr M (1965) Gravitational circulation in straits and estuaries. J Marine Res 23: 104–122

    Google Scholar 

  • Hubold G (1980) Hydrography and plankton off southern Brazil and Río de la Plata, August-November 1977. Atlantica 4: 1–22

    Google Scholar 

  • Junod J (1996) Aspectos mareologicos de la Hidrovfa. Rev del Inst Arg de Navegacion 5: 45–52

    Google Scholar 

  • Kourafalou VH, Oey L-H, Wang JD, Lee TN (1996) The fate of river discharge on the continental shelf 1. Modeling the river plume and the inner shelf coastal current. J Geophys Res 101: 3415–3434

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lasta C, Gagliardini DA, Milovich J, Acha M (1996) Seasonal variation observed in surface water temperature of Samborombon Bay, Argentina, using NOAA-AVHRR and field data. J Coastal Res 12: 18–25

    Google Scholar 

  • Landry MR, Postel JR, Peterson WK, Newman J (1989) Broad-scale distributional patterns of hydrographic variables on the Washington/Oregon Shelf. In: Landry MR, Hickey BM (eds) Coastal oceanography of Washington and Oregon, Elsevier Amsterdam, pp 1–40

    Google Scholar 

  • Li Y, Nowlin Jr WD, Reid RO (1997) Mean hydrographic fields and their interannual variability over the Texas-Louisiana continental shelf in spring, summer, and fall. J Geophys Res 102: 1027–1049

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • López Laborde J (1987a) Distribucion de sedimentos superficiales de fondo en el Río de la Plata exterior y plataforma adyacente. Invest Oceanolog 1: 19–30

    Google Scholar 

  • López Laborde J (1987b) Caracterizacion de los sedimentos superficiales de fondo del Rfo de la Plata

    Google Scholar 

  • exterior y plataforma adyacente. Anales Cient Univ Nac Agraria La Molina II:33–47

    Google Scholar 

  • Marazzi ML, Menendez A (1991) Estudio de las corrientes en los canales de navegacion del Rfo de la Plata. INCYTH LHA-114-003-91

    Google Scholar 

  • Mazio CA (1987) Modelo hidrodinamico para el Río de la Plata. 5th Simp Cientffico Com Teen Mixta del Frente Marftimo, Montevideo

    Google Scholar 

  • Molinari G (1986) Simulacion numerica de la circulacion en el Río de la Plata. INCYTH Pub S5-017-86

    Google Scholar 

  • Múnchow A, Garvine RW (1993) Buoyancy and wind forcing of a coastal current. J Marine Res 51: 293–322

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nagy GJ, Lopez Laborde J, Anastasfa LH (1987) Caracterizacion de ambientes del Río de la Plata Exterior (salinidad y turbiedad optica). Invest Oceanolog 1: 31 – 56

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Connor WPO (1991) A numerical model of tides and storm surges in the Río de la Plata. Cont Shelf Res 11: 1491–1508

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Officer CB (1976) Physical oceanography of estuaries (and associated coastal waters). John Wiley and Sons, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Ottmann F, Urien CM (1965) La melange des eaux douces et marines dans le Río de la Plata. Cahiers Oceanographiques 17: 213–234

    Google Scholar 

  • Ottmann F, Urien CM (1966) Sur quelques problemes sedimentologiques dans le Rfo de la Plata. Rev Geogr Physique et Geol Dinamique 8: 209–224

    Google Scholar 

  • Parker G, Marcolini S, Cavallotto JL, Violante R (1986a) Transporte y dispersion de los sedimentos actuales del Río de la Plata (analisis de texturas). ia Reunion de Sedimentología Argentina 38–41

    Google Scholar 

  • Parker G, Cavallotto JL, Marcolini S, Violante R (1986b) Los registros acusticos en la diferenciacion de sedimentos subacueos actuales (Río de la Plata)., ia Reunion de Sedimentologfa Argentina 42–44

    Google Scholar 

  • Postma H (1967) Sediment transport and sedimentation in estuarine environment. In: Lauff GH (ed) Estuaries. Am Assoc Adv Science, Washington, DC, Publ 83, pp 158–179

    Google Scholar 

  • Romero SY (1994) Estudio de las ondas de tormenta sobre la costa atlantica argentina. Informe de Beca CONICET

    Google Scholar 

  • Schubel JR (1968) Turbidity maximum of the Northern Chesapeake Bay. Science 161: 1013–1015

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schubel JR, Carter HH (1976) Suspended sediment budget for Chesapeake Bay. In: Wiley ML (ed) Estuarine processes. Academic Press, N.Y., vol II, pp 48–62

    Google Scholar 

  • Schubel JR, Carter HH (1983) The estuary as a filter for fine-grained suspended sediment. In: Kennedy VS (ed) The estuary as a filter. Academic Press, New York, pp 81–105

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwiderski EW (1981) Global ocean tides, part IV: The diurnal luni-dolar declination tide (Kj). In: Atlas of Tidal Charts and Maps. Naval Surface Weapons Center NSWC TR 81–142

    Google Scholar 

  • Seluchi ME (1995) Diagnostico y pronostico de situaciones sinopticas conducentes a ciclogenesis sobre el este de Sudamerica. Geofisica Int 34: 171–186

    Google Scholar 

  • Servicio de Hidrograffa Naval (1973) Batitermogramas caracterfsticos del Mar Argentino. SHN H-702

    Google Scholar 

  • Servicio de Hidrograffa Naval (1996) Tablas de marea. SHN H-610

    Google Scholar 

  • Servicio Meteorologico Nacional (1982) Estadfsticas climatologicas. SMN Buenos Aires

    Google Scholar 

  • Servicio Meteorologico Nacional (1992) Estadfsticas climatologicas. SMN Buenos Aires

    Google Scholar 

  • Simpson JH (1997) Physical processes in the ROFI regime. J Mar Systems 12: 3–15

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taljaard JJ (1967) Development, distribution and movement of cyclones and anticlyclones in the Southern Hemisphere during IGY. J Applied Meteorology 6: 973–987

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tossini L (1959) El sistema hidrografico de la Cuenca del Río de la Plata. Anales Sociedad Cientffica Argentina 167: 41–64

    Google Scholar 

  • Uncles RJ, Stephens A (1989) Distributions of suspended sediment at high water in a macrotidal estuary. J Geophys Res 94: 14395–14405

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Uncles RJ, Elliot RCA, Weston SA (1985) Dispersion of salt and suspended sediment in a partly mixed estuary. Estuaries 8: 256–269

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Urien CM (1966) Distribucion de los sedimentos en el Río de la Plata Superior. Bol SHN 3: 197–203

    Google Scholar 

  • Urien CM (1967) Los sedimentos modernos del Río de la Plata Exterior. Bol SHN 4: 113–213

    Google Scholar 

  • Urien CM (1972) Rfo de la Plata Estuary environments. Geol Soc Am Mem 133: 213–234

    Google Scholar 

  • Valle-Levins on A, Lwiza KMM (1995) The effects of channels and shoals on exchange between the Chesapeake Bay and the adjacent ocean. J Geophys Res 100: 18551–18563

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Valle-Levinson A, O’Donnell J (1997) Tidal interaction with buoyancy-driven flow in a coastal plain estuary, In: Aubrey DG, Friedrichs CT (eds) Buoyancy effects on coastal and estuarine dynamics. Coastal and Estuarine Studies 53 AGU, Washington, DC, pp 265–281

    Google Scholar 

  • Van de Kreeke J, Robaczewska K (1989) Effect of wind on the vertical circulation and stratification in the Volkerak Estuary. Netherlands J Sea Res 23: 239–253

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wessel P, Smith WHF (1991) Free software helps map and display data. Eos Trans AGU 72: 441–446

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wiseman Jr WJ (1986) Estuarine-shelf interactions. In: Mooers CNK (ed) Baroclinic processes on the continental shelves. Coastal and Estuarine Sciences 3 AGU, Washington, DC, pp 63–93

    Google Scholar 

  • Wong K-C (1994) On the nature of transverse variability in a coastal plain estuary. J Geophys Res 99: 14209–14222

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. Mariana B. Framiñan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. María P. Etala
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Eduardo M. Acha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Raúl A. Guerrero
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Carlos A. Lasta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Otis B. Brown
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía, CC 107, 8000, Bahía Blanca, Argentina

    Gerardo M. E. Perillo  & María Cintia Piccolo  & 

  2. Departamento de Geología, San Juan 670, 8000, Bahía Blanca, Argentina

    Gerardo M. E. Perillo

  3. Departamento de Geografía, 8000, Bahía Blanca, Argentina

    María Cintia Piccolo

  4. Instituto de Geociencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Casilla 567, Valdivia, Chile

    Mario Pino-Quivira

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1999 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Framiñan, M.B., Etala, M.P., Acha, E.M., Guerrero, R.A., Lasta, C.A., Brown, O.B. (1999). Physical Characteristics and Processes of the Río de la Plata Estuary. In: Perillo, G.M.E., Piccolo, M.C., Pino-Quivira, M. (eds) Estuaries of South America. Environmental Science. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-60131-6_8

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-60131-6_8

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-64269-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-60131-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation