Sedimentary environment and facies of St Lucia Estuary Mouth, Zululand, South Africa

Abstract

The St. Lucia Estuary is situated on the subtropical, predominantly microtidal Zululand coast. Modern sedimentary environments within the estuary fall into three categories: (1) barrier environments; (2) abandoned channel environments; and (3) estuarine/lagoonal environments. The barrier-associated environment includes tidal inlet channel, inlet beach face, flood-tidal delta, ebb-tidal delta, spit, backspit and aeolian dune facies. The abandoned channel environment comprises washover fan, tidal creek tidal creek delta and back-barrier lagoon facies. The estuarine/lagoonal environment includes subtidal estuarine channel, side-attached bar, channel margin, mangrove fringe and channel island facies. Each sedimentary facies is characterised by sedimentary and biogenic structures, grain-size and sedimentary processes. Vertical facies sequences produced by inlet channel migration and lagoonal infilling are sufficiently distinct to be recognized in the geological record and are typical of a prograding shoreline.