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Summit to the Sea: river basin information for the general public altamaha river basin coastal habitat coastal habitat | beaches | estuaries | barrier islands | marshes | uplands
Sediments carried from upland areas of the watershed are deposited near the mouth of the river, building islands and marshes. Barrier islands formed over thousands of years protect the mainland from storms and heavy surf. The beaches, marshes and uplands of the barrier islands are home to many unique and interesting species of plants and animals.
The coast is also an area where many people come to enjoy relaxing vacations and to take advantage of the multitude of recreational activities available there, from fishing to swimming to simply lying on the beach with a good book. The Georgia coast, lying inside the Georgia bight (left) occurs further westward than other Atlantic coast states. The "bight" focuses incoming tides, giving rise to one of the largest tidal amplitudes on the east coast. The three photos below of a docked boat on Sapelo Island illustrates the large change between high and low tide. The large change in tides flushes nutrients in and out of the salt marsh and oxygenates the water thereby contributing to the high productivity of Georgia's salt marshes.
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