Comparing Holocene Sediment Flux of Coastal Plain Rivers to Low Relief Glaciers, Northwestern Gulf of Mexico and South Shetland Islands, Antarctica

Mass accumulation rates (MAR) of low relief, small coastal plain rivers are comparable to MAR of low relief, small glacial drainage systems. The drainage basin area of coastal plain rivers in Texas and Louisiana range from 8000 km² to 52,000 km² with 50 m to 700 m relief. The glacial drainage area of Collins ice cap on King George Island (South Shetland Islands) is approximately 200 km² with 700 m maximum relief. The MAR of the Texas and west Louisiana coastal plain rivers average 2 kg/m²/a whereas the MAR of Maxwell Bay averages 4 kg/m²/a. The glacial system with a factor of 40 to 250 times smaller drainage area is more efficient at sediment delivery than equivalent relief coastal plain rivers.