SECTION 10
COASTAL ZONE REGION / ESTUARIES AND TIDAL FLATS
Index Map to Study Sites
2A / Table Rock (Mountains) / 5B / Santee Cooper Project (Engineering & Canals)2B / Lake Jocassee Region (Energy Production) / 6A / Congaree Swamp (Pristine Forest)
3A / Forty Acre Rock (Granite Outcropping) / 7A / Lake Marion (Limestone Outcropping)
3B / Silverstreet (Agriculture) / 8A / Woods Bay (Preserved Carolina Bay)
3C / Kings Mountain (Historical Battleground) / 9A / Charleston (Historic Port)
4A / Columbia (Metropolitan Area) / 9B / Myrtle Beach (Tourist Area)
4B / Graniteville (Mining Area) / 9C / The ACE Basin (Wildlife & Sea Island Culture)
4C / Sugarloaf Mountain (Wildlife Refuge) / 10A / Winyah Bay (Rice Culture)
5A / Savannah River Site (Habitat Restoration) / 10B / North Inlet (Hurricanes)
TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR SECTION 10
COASTAL ZONE REGION / ESTUARIES AND TIDAL FLATS
- Index Map to Estuarine and Tidal Flat Study Sites
- Table of Contents for Section 10
- Power Thinking Activity - "Pirate Pursuit"
- Performance Objectives
- Background Information
- Description of Landforms, Drainage Patterns, and Geologic Processes
p. 10-2 . . . . . - Characteristic Landforms of Estuaries and Tidal Flats
p. 10-2 . . . . . - Geographic Features of Special Interest
p. 10-3 . . . . . - Types of Estuaries
p. 10-3 . . . . . - Processes Shaping South Carolina's Coast
p. 10-4 . . . . . - Movement of Sand
- Influence of Topography on Historical Events and Cultural Trends
p. 10-5 . . . . . - Rice Plantation Era
p. 10-5 . . . . . - Rice Became a Culture as Well as a Crop
p. 10-6 ...... - story - "How Rice Came to the Carolinas"
p. 10-7 ...... - figure 10-1-"Comparison of State Agricultural Production, 1860"
p. 10-8 . . . . . - Decline of Rice Exports After the Civil War
p. 10-9 ...... - story - "The Man of the House of Vanderbilt"
- Natural Resources, Land Use, and Environmental Concerns
p. 10-10 . . . . - Soils of Beaches and Salt Marshes
p. 10-10 . . . . - Ecological Significance of Estuaries and Salt Marshes
p. 10-11 . . . . - Non-Point Source Pollution in Coastal Waterways
- Summary
- Places to Visit
- References and Resources
- STUDY AREA 10 : ESTUARIES AND TIDAL FLATS
(ICONS) Overv = Q Sci = R Math = : Hist = Lang Arts = ?
- Activity 10-1 : Overview
- Materials
- Performance Tasks
p. 10-15 ...... 1. describe topography of estuarine environment Q
p. 10-15 ...... 2. determine land use in estuarine environment Q R
p. 10-15 ...... 3. distinguish among three categories of estuaries Q
p. 10-16 ...... 4. describe influence of geological events on coastal landforms R
p. 10-16 ...... 5. recognize "chicken drumstick" shape of barrier islands R
p. 10-16 ...... 6. write historical fiction about the first rice crop ?
p. 10-16 ...... 7. identify counties where rice was planted R
- Enrichment
p. 10-17 ...... 1. use tide tables to explain tidal range along coast R
p. 10-17 ...... 2. find out how people lived and worked on plantations ?
p. 10-17 ...... 3. research how estuaries serve as filtering systems R
p. 10-17 ...... 4. model the effects of longshore drift R
p. 10-17 ...... 5. diagram a typical food chain for salt marsh R
p. 10-17 ...... 6. research story of Henry Woodward R ?
- STUDY SITE 10A : WINYAH BAY (RICE CULTURE)
(ICONS) Overv = Q Sci = R Math = : Hist = Lang Arts = ?
- Newspaper Article - "Scuba Divers Find Evidence of Ancient Forests . . ."
- Rationale
- Brief Site Description
p. 10A-2 . . . . - Old Beach Ridges
p. 10A-2 . . . . - Bellefield Nature Center
p. 10A-3 . . . . - Rice Cultivation
p. 10A-4 . . . . - Slavery on Waccamaw River Rice Plantations
p. 10A-5 ...... - story - "An Antebellum Rice Recipe from a Plantation Cook"
p. 10A-5 ...... - figure 10A-1- "Rice Trunk Gate"
p. 10A-5 . . . . - Trickster Tales
p. 10A-6 ...... - story - "You Never Know What Trouble is Until it Finds You"
- Activity 10A-1 : Plantations and the Rice Culture
- Materials
- Performance Tasks
p. 10A-9 ...... 1. locate the study site Q R
p. 10A-9 ...... 2. locate natural and man-made features Q
p. 10A-9 ...... 3. compare marsh and wooded areas Q
p. 10A-10 ...... 4. analyze changes through time Q
p. 10A-10 ...... 5. locate several plantation sites R
p. 10A-10 ...... 6. examine parallel remnants of former beach ridges R
p. 10A-10 ...... 7. analyze the newspaper article R ?
p. 10A-11 ...... 8. estimate size of average rice field impoundment :
p. 10A-11 ...... 9. outline steps necessary for planting rice
p. 10A-11 ...... 10. graph and analyze rice production :
p. 10A-11 ...... 11. analyze why escape was difficult for slaves
p. 10A-12 ...... 12. relate life story of a 200 year-old fanner basket ?
p. 10A-12 ...... 13. solve Alexander the Ant's problem :
p. 10A-12 ...... 14. explain relationship of physical setting to Pourquoi Tale ?
p. 10A-12 ...... 15. write your own Pourquoi Tale for this region ?
- Enrichment
p. 10A-13 ...... 1. determine effect of end of slavery on rice cultivation
p. 10A-13 ...... 2. invite a storyteller to perform for the class ?
p. 10A-13 ...... 3. collect samples of Pourquoi Tales ?
- STUDY SITE 10B : NORTH INLET (HURRICANES)
(ICONS) Overv = Q Sci = R Math = : Hist = Lang Arts = ?
- Newspaper Article - "Soft Sand Added Danger Near Beaches"
- Rationale
- Brief Site Description
p. 10B-2 . . . . - Shoreline Changes Due to Major Storms
p. 10B-2 ...... - figure 10B-1- "North Inlet Migration"
p. 10B-3 . . . . - Famous South Carolina Hurricanes
p. 10B-3 ...... - figure 10B-2 - 'List of Famous South Carolina Hurricanes"
p. 10B-4 ...... - figure 10B-3 - "Map of Major South Carolina Hurricanes: 1893-1989"
p. 10B-5 ...... - story - "The Hurricane of 1893"
p. 10B-6 . . . . - Diary of Destruction--Hurricane Hugo
p. 10B-7 ...... - story - "Hugo Stories"
- Activity 10B-1 : Hurricane Hugo
- Materials
- Performance Tasks
p. 10B-8 ...... 1. locate the study site Q R
p. 10B-8 ...... 2. analyze the newspaper article ?
p. 10B-8 ...... 3. compare pre and post Hurricane Hugo features Q R
p. 10B-9 ...... 4. assess extent of Hurricane Hugo damage Q
p. 10B-9 ...... 5. outline changes in North Inlet since 1872 R
p. 10B-9 ...... 6. estimate buildup of sand at inlet R :
p. 10B-10 ...... 7. trace shorline position during storm surge R :
p. 10B-10 ...... 8. evaluate effects of hurricanes on rice impoundments
p. 10B-10 ...... 9. tell your favorite hurricane story to your group ?
p. 10B-10 ...... 10. plot paths of major hurricanes R
p. 10B-10 ...... 11. make up a name for the Hurricane of 1893
- Enrichment
p. 10B-11 ...... 1. research recent local natural disasters ?
p. 10B-11 ...... 2. research impact Hurricane Hugo had on wildlife habitats R
p. 10B-11 ...... 3. determine how hurricanes are classified and named R
p. 10B-11 ...... 4. analyze hurricane-induced changes in Santee Delta R
p. 10B-11 ...... 5. relate tales of other natural disasters ?
10-iii
SECTION 10
COASTAL ZONE REGION / ESTUARIES AND TIDAL FLATS
POWER THINKING ACTIVITY - "Pirate Pursuit"
You are the first mate on board the pirate ship Queen Anne's Revenge under the command of the notorious pirate, Blackbeard. You have just attacked and robbed two ships moving trade goods into the rice port of Georgetown. You want to leave Winyah Bay as quickly as possible, before the British Navy can assemble to pursue you, but, as you are leaving Winyah Bay, a big storm comes up. You can't go out into the open ocean because of the storm, but you can't return to Georgetown, where the British Navy is gathering its forces. Where can you go, close by, to wait out the storm and to hide from the navy? Use the North Inlet Topographic Map and the Winyah Bay Lithograph to help you determine a specific place to hide. Consider the size of your ship and the geometry of the landform features in the area. Remember that you have to get your boat out of the naval forces' view at Georgetown to make them think you have left the area.
PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES
1. Describe the ecological significance of estuarine environments and assess the short and long-term effects of draining these wetlands.
2. Relate requirements for the cultivation of rice to the development of the plantation system and the resulting widespread alteration of the estuarine landscape.
3. Outline and assess contributions made by African Americans in the Coastal Zone throughout South Carolina history.
4. Explain how trickster tales developed and changed through time and were used to convey hidden meanings to specific groups of listeners.
5. Interpret and retell Pourquoi Tales, legends, and stories from Low Country folklore.
6. Determine the economic and social impact hurricanes have had on South Carolina's Coastal Zone Region.
7. Compare and contrast changes in shoreline features, land cover, and land use patterns resulting from Hurricane Hugo.
8. Determine dimensions of rice impoundments, height of tidal range, and average crop yields using appropriate mathematical models.
9. Plot paths of major hurricanes and associated storm surge high-water marks on topographic maps and lithographs.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Description of Landforms, Drainage Patterns, and Geologic Processes
Characteristic Landforms of Estuaries and Tidal Flats
Estuaries consist of small islands of high ground and expansive salt marshes, cut with winding tidal creeks. The deeper creeks hold water even at low tide while only the peak of the six-hour tidal cycle floods the marsh surface. Most South Carolina rivers enter the ocean through estuaries, which represent former river channels that have been flooded because sea level has gradually risen. Most pre-existing landforms are hidden below the water line, leaving only shallow marshy areas visible along the boundary of the estuary. They are essential wetland areas, where fresh water from inland sources joins incoming salt water from the oceans. They develop extremely dynamic ecosystems that are constantly changing in response to tidal action and to the varying amounts of fresh water, governed by seasonal and meteorological changes. Rivers, creeks, and smaller tributaries serve as arteries for transporting nutrientrich material eroded from upstream. This material, along with nutrients brought in by the tides, nourishes many forms of marine life, especially the larval stages of invertebrate species that flourish in this protected environment.
Tidal flats are mostly flat, low-lying areas flooded by seawater part of the time and exposed to the air part of the time. The total amount of land flooded depends on the tidal range and the effects of storms. In many ways tidal flats are similar to river floodplains. Tidal channels drain the higher portions of the mostly featureless plains covered with marsh grass. The channels meander widely across muddier areas forming occasional tidal channel levees and sandy point bar deposits. The channels often interconnect, especially near the tidal inlet, which provides access to the open ocean. Some tidal flat systems are dominated by a very strong incoming tidal current. Sediments are pushed landward by these currents to form flood tidal deltas. If the outgoing tidal current is stronger, sediments will often be carried out into the open ocean, through the tidal inlet, to form ebb tidal deltas. The relative amount of erosion and deposition on any portion of the tidal flat depends on the height of that land above or below average sea level (mean sea level).
Geographic Features of Special Interest
All major South Carolina rivers, except for the Santee, have been recently flooded by rising sea level to form estuaries surrounded by marshy wetlands. The Santee River System has brought enough sediment to the coast that it has been able to keep pace with rising sea level and maintain its delta. This low lying area also contains extensive salt marshes. Other coastal embayments, such as Bull's Bay, St. Helena Sound, and Port Royal Sound, are likewise surrounded by vast expanses of salt marsh. Several prime areas of salt marsh habitat have been preserved as wildlife refuges, such as the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge adjacent to Bull's Bay in Charleston County, and the Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge near Hilton Head Island in Beaufort County. Hobcaw Barony, designated for teaching and research, is located just across Winyah Bay from the city of Georgetown. It contains abandoned rice fields, old beach ridges, and a diverse tidal flat environment, along with a lookout tower that provides spectacular views of the coastal landscape. Several state parks with excellent examples of tidal inlets and tidal flats include Hunting Island State Park in Beaufort County and Edisto Beach State Park in Colleton County. Almost all barrier islands along the coast exhibit well formed tidal inlets and tidal flat drainage systems.
Types of Estuaries
Several types of estuaries are found within the Coastal Zone, ranging from predominantly saltwater estuary systems, to a mix of fresh and saltwater (brackish water), to isolated freshwater estuaries. Salt marshes occur along most saltwater estuaries found in the Coastal Zone. These marshes are highly saline and primarily support spartina grass. North Inlet and Pawleys Inlet marshes are excellent examples of ecologically important salt marshes.