Submarine canyons and channels in the Lower St. Lawrence Estuary (Eastern Canada): Morphology, classification and recent sediment dynamics

Abstract

Series of submarine canyons and channels observed in the Lower St. Lawrence Estuary (LSLE) provide an opportunity to analyze in great detail the morphology, spatial distribution and modern activity of such systems in a relatively shallow (≤300m) semi-enclosed basin. Based on their geomorphology and physical settings, the canyons and channels were classified into four categories according to their feeding sources (ancient or recent): glacially-fed, river-fed, longshore drift-fed and sediment-starved systems. Their activity was interpreted based on geomorphological characteristics such as the presence of bedforms related to gravity flows, backscatter intensity, axial incision and the presence of rapidly deposited layers in surficial sediments. River-fed deltas were interpreted as inactive, mainly because suspended sediment concentrations at river mouths are low, preventing the generation of hyperpycnal currents or delta-lip failures related to high sediment supply. Longshore drift-fed canyons, present where the coastal shelf narrows, were found to be episodically active probably due to earthquakes or extreme storm events. Unlike other longshore drift-fed canyons observed elsewhere in the world, they are active infrequently because of the modern low rates of sediment supply to their heads. The most active canyons are the sediment-starved type and were observed near Pointe-des-Monts. Their activity is probably due to slope failures and to the presence of strong hydrodynamic processes. Therefore, sediment supply is not the main mechanism responsible for modern canyon and channel activity in the LSLE. However, sediment supply has been an important factor during the formation of the submarine channels and canyons. Their quasi-exclusive occurrence on the Québec North Shore is attributed to its larger watershed and important sedimentary delivery during deglaciation. The Québec North Shore watershed is 20 times greater than the Québec South Shore watershed, which favored the transport of greater volumes of sediment during the early-Holocene. Moreover, the slope proximity to the shore led to the formation of longshore-drift fed systems on the North Shore when sediment supplied to rivers were transferred on a narrow shelf.