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Gualala River in full flood: South Fork & river mouth

Feb 27, 2019: South Fork Gualala River, Valley Crossing, Annapolis Road, view upstream. The large log and woody debris jam present in mid-February is blown out by the higher flood of Feb. 26-27.
Feb 27, 2019: South Fork Gualala River, Valley Crossing, Annapolis Road, view upstream.
The large log and woody debris jam present in mid-February is blown out by the higher flood of Feb. 26-27.

 

Below are a few photos that show some unusual flood features at the river mouth…. not just the spit erosion, but it’s transformation into a shallow submerged bar outlined by breakers oblique to the shoreline, extending offshore! This is temporary, forced by the river jet, against the shoreline configuration waves normally establish.

Feb 27, 2019: Gualala Point. The sand spit is eroded and replaced by river channel, leaving a vertical scarp at the base of the spit at the north end of the low dunes.
Feb 27, 2019: Gualala Point. The sand spit is eroded and replaced by river channel, leaving a vertical scarp at the base of the spit at the north end of the low dunes.

 

Feb 27, 2019: Gualala Point. The eroded sand spit extends as a shallow submerged bar offshore, outlined by breaking waves. The bar is oriented along the south side of the river’s outflow, a turbulent jet with a muddy (suspended fine sediment) plume spreading offshore. Waves will reshape the bar and reform the spit after the flood.
Feb 27, 2019: Gualala Point. The eroded sand spit extends as a shallow submerged bar offshore, outlined by breaking waves. The bar is oriented along the south side of the river’s outflow, a turbulent jet with a muddy (suspended fine sediment) plume spreading offshore. Waves will reshape the bar and reform the spit after the flood.

 

Feb 27, 2019: Gualala Point. The eroded sand spit extends as a shallow submerged bar offshore, outlined by breaking waves.
Feb 27, 2019: Gualala Point. The eroded sand spit extends as a shallow submerged bar offshore, outlined by breaking waves.