Notes

Archipelago – An archipelago is a group or chain of islands clustered together in a sea or ocean.
Atoll – An atoll is a ring (or partial ring) of coral that forms an island in an ocean or sea. The coral sits atop a submerged volcanic cone.
Basin – An area of land largely enclosed by higher land.
Bay – A bay is a body of water partly enclosed by land (and is usually smaller than a gulf).
Butte – A butte is a flat-topped rock or hill formation with steep sides.
Canal – A man-made waterway connecting two bodies of water that is designed to shorten travel time or to irrigate.
Canyon – A canyon is a deep valley with very steep sides often carved from the earth by a river. The photo below is of the Grand Canyon.
Channel – A channel is a body of water that connects two larger bodies of water (like the English Channel). A channel is also a part of a river or harbor that is deep enough to let ships sail through.
Cove – A cove is a small, horseshoe-shaped body of water along the coast; the water is surrounded by land formed of soft rock.
Dam – A wall built across a stream or river to hold back water. The photo below is of the Hoover Dam.
Delta – A delta is a low, watery land formed at the mouth of a river. It is formed from the silt, sand, and small rocks that flow downstream in the river and are deposited in the delta. They are often (but not always) shaped like a triangle (hence its name, delta, a Greek letter that is shaped like a triangle).
Estuary – An estuary is where a river meets the sea or ocean.
Fjord – A long, narrow sea inlet that is bordered by steep cliffs.
Glacier – A large body of slow-moving ice that alters the land around it through displacement. The photo below is of Marjerie Glacier at Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska.
Harbor – A sheltered area of water where ships may anchor safely.
Isthmus – A narrow strip of land connecting two larger landmasses. An isthmus has water on two sides.
Lagoon – A shallow body of water located alongside a coast.
Marsh – A type of freshwater, brackish water, or saltwater wetland found along rivers, ponds, lakes, and coasts. Marsh plants grow up out of the water.