|
From: Castaneda and
Contreras, 2001
Laguna Tamiahua is the third largest coastal lagoon in Mexico. It has
brackish waters and is located in the coastal plains of the state of
Veracruz. Some of its most notable characteristics are the presence of
numerous streams such as La Laja, Cucharas, Carbajal, Tancochin,
Tampache, Milipas and San Lorenzo, among others, the majority of which
have a seasonal flow. Islands like Juan A. Ramirez (also cited as Juana
Ramirez on several documents, maps and nautical charts), Toro and Idolo
are present, as well as a great sandy barrier called Cabo Rojo. Channels
connect its waters with the Panuco River to the north, the Tuxpan River
to the south, the Laguna de Tampamachoco and the Corazones Barrier or
Corazones Mouth, which connects it to the Gulf of Mexico. A chain of
live and dead coral reefs are also a distinctive characteristic of
Tamiahua. They are located on the lagoon’s bottom near the Isla del Toro
and around Cabo Rojo’s subsoil, which seem to have great importance in
the origin of the sandy barriers and the development of the lagoon.
Tamiahua has a humid climate with strong rains during summer and dry
conditions during winter, with relatively low evaporation. With shallow
waters, the lagoon registers 2 to 3 m in depth, while the channel
located leeward of the Corazones Barrier registers higher depths due to
the constant tidal flow. The Cabo Rojo Barrier is formed by quartzite
sand, with big active dunes to the north and diminishing towards the
south, where they are small and stabilized. The Corazones Mouth, the
only communication with the Gulf of Mexico and the only actual mouth of
the lagoon, is small and narrow, but evidence of three old mouths also
exists: The Tampamachichi Mouth, located on the north side of the
barrier, and the Galindo and the Tanhuijo Mouths, which are located on
the south side of the barrier.
There are three different hydrological environments in the lagoon: the
north area with a strong marine influence, a central region with a
strong continental influence and a south region with similar
characteristics as those of the north area, except during some times of
the year when it is influenced by the central region. Salinity in
Tamiahua is governed by tides, precipitation and river discharge, and
although the waters are primarily brackish, there are two distinct
phases: An ultrahaline phase with greater than 30 ppt salinity, and a
polyhaline phase with salinity between 16 and 30 ppt. The first,
directly affected by the tides, is restricted to the mouth and
neighboring areas, and the second is influenced by indirect tidal
activity.
The lagoon plays a significant role in the fishing and ecologic
development of the region. It is considered the most productive lagoon
of the state of Veracruz and an important breeding, feeding and
reproductive zone for many species of fish. Among the most dominant are
the Anchoa mitchilli, Aripsis felis, Bairdiella Chrysoura, Cathorops
melanoppus, Eucinostomus fula, Hyporhamphus roberti, Lagodon rhomboids,
Mugil cephalus, M. curema, Orthopristis crysoptera and
Strongylura notata. Oysters and crustaceans are also big
contributors to the local economic development.
Several surrounding and distant villages discharge their untreated
domestic waste into the Tamiahua lagoon and the rivers that empty their
waters into the lagoon. This fact and the high temperatures that the
area can reach during certain times of the year, contribute to elevated
levels of fecal bacteria, putting near dwellers at high risk given their
direct dependency on the lagoon.
Coordinates: 21.58°
N 97.58° W
Selected Characteristics:
(Castaneda and Contreras, 2001)
Surface Area: 880 km2
Average Depth: 2-3 m
References:
Castaneda L.O. and F.E. Contreras. 2001. Serie:
Bibliografia Comentada sobre ecosistemas costeros mexicanos 2001. Centro
de Documentacion Ecosistemas Litorales Mexicanos. Universidad Autonoma
Metropolitana, Unidad Iztapalapa, Division C. B. S. Depto. de Hidrologia.
Publicacion electronica (CD). ISBN:970-654-912-9. Mexico, D.F.
Keywords:
Lagoon, Channel, Coral reef, Fisheries, Oyster, Pollution,
Sand barrier, Dune
M. Nipper, J.A. Sánchez Chávez, and J.W.
Tunnell, Jr., Editors. 2007. GulfBase: Resource Database for Gulf of
Mexico Research. World Wide Web electronic publication. http://www.gulfbase.org,
11
December 2007. |
|
