This book resulted from the lectures of a PanAmerican Advanced Studies Institute (PASI) funded by the United States National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy. The topic of the PASI was “Contemporary Issues in Estuarine Physics, Transport and Water Quality” and was held from July 31 to August 13, 2007 at the Unidad Académica Puerto Morelos of the Mexican National University (UNAM). One of the requirements was that the PASI had to involve lecturers and students from the Americas, with most from the United States. The institute was restricted to advanced graduate students and postdoctoral participants. Because of the requirements, this book includes authors who work in the United States but tries to be comprehensive in including aspects of estuarine systems in different parts of the world. The book, however, reflects regional experiences of the authors and obviously does not include exhaustive illustrations throughout the world. Nonetheless, it is expected to motivate studies, in diverse regions, that address problems outlined herein.

This book should be appropriate for advanced undergraduate or graduate courses on estuarine and lagoon hydrodynamics. It should also serve as a reference for the professional or environmental manager in this field. The sequence of chapters is designed in such a way that the topic is introduced in terms of estuaries classification (Chapter 1). This is followed by the basic hydrodynamics that drive the typically conceived estuarine circulation consisting of fresher water moving near the surface toward the ocean and saltier water moving below in opposite direction (Chapter 2).