Natural lagoon

{
  "id": "MLC-T-ENV-018282",
  "term": "Natural lagoon",
  "field": "Environment",
  "term_source": "Natural Lagoon",
  "definition": "1. Lagoons tend to be shallow, highly enclosed, with reduced exchange with the ocean, often experiencing high evaporation, and quiescent in terms of wind, current, and wave energy. They tend to have a very high surface to volume ratio, low to moderate watershed to water area ratio and can have a high wetland to water ratio. The flushing times tend to be long relative to riverine estuaries and even embayments, as the restricted exchange with the marine end member and reduced river input lengthen residence times.\n\n2. Shallow coastal body of seawater that is separated from the open ocean by a barrier or coral reef; the term is commonly used to define the shore-parallel body of water behind a barrier island or barrier spit.",
  "subject": "Natural environments",
  "references": [
    "Federal Geographic Data Committee Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard, June 2012 FGDC-STD-018-2012",
    "Adapted from Coastal Sensitivity Glossary"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/environment/natural-lagoon/"
}