Tombolo diagram

What Is A Tombolo?

A tombolo is a coastal formation that means, when translated from Italian, “mound”.

What is a tombolo in geography

It appears to be a small island that has not fully separated from the mainland. This island-like landform is actually attached to the coast by a thin sand bar or spit. Tombolos are sometimes referred to as “tied islands”, because it seems to tethered to the coast.

These formation can be either solitary or found in clusters. When clustered, the sand bars may form a lagoon-like enclosure near the coast.

Is a tombolo erosional or depositional

Is a tombolo erosional or depositional

Tombolo geology

How is a spit formed

Famous tombolos

Chesil beach tombolo

These types of lagoons are likely to fill with sediment over time.

How Is A Tombolo Formed?

Longshore Drift

Longshore drift occurs as waves push sediment (which may consist of sand, silt, and clay) towards the coastline at an angle.

Instead of landing on the beach, this sediment begins to build up between the beach and an island, creating the bar mentioned above and effectively “tying” the island to the mainland. This drift is often influenced by the wind direction.

When created by longshore drift, these formation are sometimes not cons

how is a tombolo formed a level

how is a tombolo made