Deltaic Depositional

Systems
Modern and
Ancient

Arno River Delta (Med)

(a wave dominated and engineered delta)
12_G435.pps

Deltaic Depositional Systems

Locus of voluminous terrigenous clastic sediment
accumulation where fluvial dispersal systems
encounter standing water
Most common in subsiding basin-settings (passive
continental margins) where major river systems
transport large volumes of sediment.

Modern Gulf of Mexico

And the Mississippi River Delta
(a river dominated delta)

12_G435.pps

Deltas
Rivers

flow seaward
change slope and velocity
carry a sediment load.

When river empties into coastal body of water

velocity slows
sediments are deposited.

Herodotus (c. 400 BC) - thought the alluvial

plain at mouth of Nile looked like a

12_G435.pps

12_G435.pps

W. W. Norton

TheNileOriginal

Modified from Hamblin and Christiansen,

12_G435.pps

Importance Of Deltas
Site of substantial fossil fuel resource accumulation
Coal, Oil, and Natural Gas

12_G435.pps

Importance Of Deltas
Diverse and prolific ecosystems
Common site of large human population centers

Nile River Delta (Med Sea)

(an engineered, wave/river dominated delta)

12_G435.pps

Tigris&Euphrates River Delta (Persian Gulf)

Main Geological Characteristics

Of Deltas
Isopach thick... major stratigraphic component of
(Terrigenous Clastic) sedimentary basin fill
Mississippi Delta

12_G435.pps

Main Geological Characteristics

Of Deltas
Regressive - Progradational successions
Abandonment Transgressive Stage

12_G435.pps

Main Geological Characteristics

Of Deltas
Contemporaneous non-marine - marginal marine - to basinal
depositional systems
Numerous sub-environments (each of a scale similar to that of
most other depositional systems)

12_G435.pps

10

Delta Overview
Deltas grow steadily from a point source
Course bedload most proximal
channel and mouth bar subenvironments

Fines more distal from point source

Overall pattern:
coarse
\\\\ medium fine very fine
Builds out such that fines are offshore
leads to COARSENING UPWARDS

12_G435.pps

11

12_G435.pps

12

 Delta progradation
cross-section results as clastics are
deposited in the sub environments
sediments builds out
PROGRADES INTO BASIN

12_G435.pps

13

12_G435.pps

14

DeltaMorphology
Function of most dominant process
Elongate

little reworking of sediments; levies form, builds

out into basin

Lobate

better reworking (tidal); more blunt shape

Cuspate

water concentrates its energy to oppose wave

action
each ridge is built as it moves out and progrades

12_G435.pps

15

Delta Types
Constructional Deltas

Dominated by the fluvial

system

strongly
progradational/regressive

Lobate Elongate

Destructional Deltas
Dominated by marine
processes

common marine reworking

with transgressive
intervals

Cuspate (transitional to
interdeltaic systems)
12_G435.pps

16

Main Processes Influencing

Delta Depositional Systems
Climate
Relief
Fluvial Discharge (water volume and
time variation)
Sediment load and type
River mouth processes
Tidal Processes
Wave energy
12_G435.pps

17

Subenvironments
Delta plain/ delta top
Delta Channels
Floodplain

Delta front environments

Delta Front
Prodelta
Foredelta

Marginal (distal)
Offshore
12_G435.pps

18

Delta plain/ top

Channels and flood plain
part of the fluvial
environment
rivers not quite to sea

Delta Channels

coarsest sediments in
channels
carries sediments across
delta top/ delta plain

12_G435.pps

19

 Floodplain/ over-bank
areas
suspended sediments
settle out during floods
Vegetated
possible accumulation of
peat

crevasse splays
lead to sand lenses on
surface

interdisciplinary bays
sheltered areas on delta
plain near delta front
12_G435.pps

20

Delta Front Environments

Delta front
Include river channel
silts and sands
Proximal

Prodelta
silty and clay

Foredelta
12_G435.pps

21

Delta front environments

Riverchannel

Siteofdepositionofbedload
Formssubaqueousmouthbar
coarsensup
coarsesedimentsreworkedbytides,wave
actions
wateroftenbrackish

12_G435.pps

22

Deltafrontenvironments
Prodelta
finest grained sediments
aided by plume of sediment rich water that
extends across delta front
blankets area with fine grains
suspended sediments

some coarser sediments from turbidites

12_G435.pps

23

Deltafrontenvironments

Delta slope

inclined area in front of delta top

Slope delta front is related to grain size

Coarse grains make steep slope

12_G435.pps

up to 35 angle of repose

Fine grains (silty clay) is <1 slope

Fines increase away from river

24

GallowayClassification
Galloway (1975): 3 factors of constraint
fluvial dominated (sediment input)
wave dominated (wave Energy)
tidal dominated (tidal Energy)
Mississippi
Rhone
Ganges

12_G435.pps

(fluvial)
(wave)
(tidal)

25

River Dominated

Modified from Hamblin and Christiansen,

26
1988

12_G435.pps

Wave Dominated Delta

12_G435.pps

27

Ganges- Tide Dominated

12_G435.pps

28

Main Delta Sedimentary Facies

Generic River-Dominated Delta Model

large rivers
broad shelf
low wave energy
low tidal range

12_G435.pps

29

Main Delta Sedimentary Facies

Generic River-Dominated Delta Model
Upper Delta Plain
above highest high
tide

low gradient/
meandering river
systems
fresh water lakes
swamps

12_G435.pps

30

Main Delta Sedimentary Facies

Generic River-Dominated Delta Model
Lower delta plain
between the tides

Distributary channels
Inter-distributary
bay fill
levees

12_G435.pps

31

Main Delta Sedimentary Facies

Generic River-Dominated Delta Model
Subaqueous Delta
(Delta Front)
below lowest low tide

distributary mouth
bar - bar finger
sands
bays

12_G435.pps

32

Delta Front Progradation

12_G435.pps

33

Main Delta Sedimentary Facies

Generic River-Dominated Delta Model
Prodelta
Offshore transitional
to open marine

Normal Marine Shelf

High biological
productivity

Abundant slumps and

syndepositional
deformation

12_G435.pps

34

Transgressive Mississippi Delta Model

12_G435.pps

35

Transgressive Mississippi Delta Model

12_G435.pps

36

12_G435.pps

37

Wavedominateddeltas
Wave dominated

wind- driven waves agitate surface

rework sediments in shallow water
affects mouth bars in basin and mouth of river
modifies river dominated delta

Morphology limits progradation

cant form sub-aqueous levees

bedload is immediately reworked

if waves hit obliquely (and usually do), get lateral migration
of sediments and development of spits

beach and mouth bars form // to coast

waves sort grains
mouth bar is better sorted sediments

12_G435.pps

38

Generic Wave Dominated Delta Model

High wave energy, open coasts, strong longshore
currents

Non-marine, swamp to
Eolian dune
Arcuate to strandparallel sand dominated
facies, barrier island
sequences

Rhone River Delta (Med)

12_G435.pps

(a wave dominated delta)

39

Wavedominateddeltas
Progradation
waves dont transport ALL material from
river mouth
mouth bars build to form new beaches
River mouth bars arent as continuous and
have more overbank deposits
probably similar delta slope and front

12_G435.pps

40

Tidedominateddeltas
Tide dominated

onshore/offshore currents move bedload/

suspended load back and forth
very different features
delta plain
tidal currents are bidirectional

Herringbone cross-bedding
Mud lenses as suspended sediments settles out in slack
tide

12_G435.pps

lots of sediment in surface in form of tidal flats

lobate shape to mouth bars; perpendicular to shore
look for bi-directional flow indicators
can confuse with estuarine systems
look at over all sequences
delta is progradational; estuary often retogradational

41

Generic Tide Dominated Delta Model

High Tidal Range

Extensive lower delta

plain/tidal mudflats
Shore perpendicular,
elongate sand dominated
facies, tidal channel
deposits
12_G435.pps

Ganges - Brahmaputra River Delta

(Indian Ocean)
(a tide dominated delta)

42

Tidedominateddeltas
Coarse grained deltas
bodies of gravelly detritus that form on
margins of lakes and seas
needs braided river or alluvial fan

12_G435.pps

43

Environmental Issues in Modern Deltas

Damming, Dredging, Diverting

Coastal Land loss (erosion/subsidence)

Coastal Pollution
Nutrient loading,
anoxic events

Petroleum contamination

Habitat Destruction
land loss,
contamination, and
development

12_G435.pps

44

Environmental Issues in Modern Deltas

Mississippi Delta Coastal Land loss

Louisiana's coastal wetlands, a national resource

supporting 30% of the nation's fisheries and
most of the wintering ducks in the Mississippi
Flyway, are at risk from the annual conversion of
an estimated 35-45 mi2 of wetlands to open
water. Louisiana's wetland loss rate is the
highest of any state in the nation. The processes
causing wetland loss in coastal Louisiana are
complex and varied.

12_G435.pps

45