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Many rivers end in estuaries (Thames - England, Hudson - U.S., Yangtse - China, etc.). At what point does a river stop being a river and become an estuary?

Question #152395. Asked by odo5435.
Last updated Mar 24 2026.
Originally posted Mar 24 2026 8:04 AM.

pehinhota

Answer has 2 votes

pehinhota

12 year member
479 replies avatar

Answer has 2 votes.

As rivers near the ocean, they reach a point at which saltwater from incoming tides begins to mix with freshwater flowing downstream. This creates the brackish conditions of an estuary. The two types of water are not always evenly mixed, however.

https://www.whoi.edu/ocean-learning-hub/ocean-topics/how-the-ocean-works/coastal-science/rivers-estuaries-deltas/

Response last updated by looney_tunes on Mar 24 2026.
Mar 24 2026, 2:36 PM

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Many rivers end in estuaries (Thames - England, Hudson - U.S., Yangtse - China, etc.). At what point does a river stop being a river and become an estuary?

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