Question.
State the differences between Delta and Estuary.
(Chapter-3 Drainage System, Class 11 NCERT geography "India Physical Environment")
Answer.
Both deltas and estuaries are formed by rivers when they meet with the sea.
However, the following are the differences between a delta and an estuary;
Delta is formed at low tide areas of the ocean while estuaries are formed at high tide areas of the ocean.
Deltas are formed by large rivers that have substantial sediments, while estuaries are formed at the mouths of smaller rivers or streams, where rivers do not have substantial sediments.
The delta is usually triangular in shape while the estuary is a funnel shape.
Delta is fertile land and suitable for agricultural activities while estuaries are nutrient-rich waters and are suitable for fishing activities.
East flowing rivers of India like Ganga, Brahmaputra, Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, and Kaveri form deltas at their mouths while the west flowing rivers Narmada, Tapi, Periyar, Sharavati, etc form estuaries at their mouths.
Several deltas exist in the Bay of Bengal region of India while estuaries are largely found in the Arabian Sea.
The Sundarbans Delta is the largest delta in India formed by the Ganges and the Brahmaputra Rivers while the Narmada River forms a 27 km wide estuary in the Arabian Sea south of Bharuch.
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