Abstract
The Pearl River Estuary is under the influence of eight major river inputs on its western side and of the entry of oceanic water from the south. The subsequent water flows and tidal circulation in the PRE are discussed. Season (wet versus dry) has a significant influence on the hydrodynamics and physical geography of the estuary. Human intervention has increasingly shaped the morphology of the estuary. There are now regular ongoing water quality programs in various regions of the estuary. Hong Kong is exceptional in maintaining a >30-year monitoring program in its waters adjacent to the PRE itself. Long-term environmental monitoring is critical in evaluating the status and trends of environmental changes in the estuary, as well as providing baseline contaminant levels for environmental risk assessments.
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Wang, WX., Rainbow, P.S. (2020). Physical Geography. In: Environmental Pollution of the Pearl River Estuary, China. Estuaries of the World. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-61834-9_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-61834-9_2
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