Download File

THE LAND OF GEORGIA
Georgia’s
Physical
Regions:
Coastal Plain
Piedmont
Blue Ridge
Ridge and Valley
Plateau
The Coastal Plain
Georgia’s largest region is the Coastal
Plain, which covers 60% of the state. In
prehistoric time, this area was completely
covered by ocean. Erosion from the
mountains deposited large amounts of soil,
clay and rock, that covered the ocean floor.
Eventually, the ocean retreated,
leaving a vast area of limestone,
clay sand and other sedimentary
deposits. This area, known as the
Coastal Plain, extends along the
Atlantic and Gulf coasts from
Massachusetts to Mexico.
The Coastal Plain’s interior boundary is
marked by the Fall Line, a region several miles
across that marks the prehistoric ocean’s
shoreline. Land north of the line is higher in
elevation and causes rivers to pick up speed
as they travel- or fall-through this zone. South
of the Fall Line, the ground is soft and sandy,
where the rivers widen and move more slowly.
This, in turn, makes navigation by large boats
possible.
The Coastal Plain is relatively flat, with low
relief, no steep hills or rock. This causes rivers
entering from the north to flow slowly, develop
wider banks, and take a widening path.
• Along Georgia’s coast, and 75 miles inland,
the soil consists of sand and clay, and is not
very fertile. In general, the land is poorly
drained, and swampy areas are common.
Little grows here except pine and brush and
was given the name, “Pine Barrons” by the
early settlers. It is poorly suited for
agriculture and the land is used mainly for
pasture and growing pine trees for timber,
pulp, and turpentine.
• Further inland the Coastal Plain slowly
rises, but not more than 500 feet above sea
level. The soil is well drained, and consists
of sand and clay. This area is well suited for
agriculture.
Georgia’s Coast
Georgia’s coast was the area first settled by
the British colonists in the late 1730’s. It is
a popular place to find vacation spots
along the Atlantic such as Tybee Island, St.
Simons Island and Jekyll Island. Georgia’s
coast is less than 100 miles and consists
of many regions including,
1).swamps
2).rivers and streams
3).estuaries (the area around a river’s
mouth where fresh and salt water mix)
4).numerous small islands
5).a large chain of coastal islands facing
the ocean
During low tide, sea levels are down
&Georgia rivers are free to flow out
to sea. At high tide, seawater now
rushes in, forcing rivers and streams
to reverse their flow and carry a
mixture of salt and fresh water
inland for a distance of 10 miles or
more. Coastal Rivers spill over their
banks and flood low-lying areas,
thus creating saltwater marshes.
These marshes are one of the most
important features of the coast.
Coastal Wetlands
A wetland is an area of low-lying land
covered by water all or part of the
time containing special plant and
animal life. Georgia has large areas
of wetland-ranking fourth in the
nation in total number of acres.
Many freshwater wetlands are
south of the Fall Line- Particularly
along rivers and streams and near
the coast. The largest freshwater
wetland in the state is the
Okefenokee Swamp, located along
the Florida border.
Twice each day, Atlantic tides flood coastal
rivers, streams and estuaries, and for several
hours muddy land is covered with slat water. As
a result, little vegetation can survive except for
salt marsh grass, cord grass and other plants.
However, it is a complex and rich ecosystem
that is supported by the marshes. The salt
marshes teem with life. Minerals and other
nutrients are deposited there by the freshwater
rivers, which creates an abundant food chain. A
variety of wildlife is attracted, including insects,
birds, wildlife, and most important-fish shrimp
and crabs. This supply has created an important
seafood industry along Georgia’s coast.
This supply has created an important seafood
industry along Georgia’s coast.
Coastal marshes serve other valuable functions
such as serving as buffers for storms, and they
filter out pollutants from the Savannah,
Ogeechee, Altamaha and other rivers before
discharging into the Atlantic. In these marshes
one would find egrets and other large wading
birds, fiddler crabs, and other wildlife. More
than 100 years ago, poet Sidney Lanier was
impressed with the marshes in Glynn county,
and wrote, “The Marshes of Glynn”.