On first visit, Argyle Creek appears to be a fairly uniform habitat.  Changes in creek width and depth along its length, however, lead to associated changes in sediment characteristics and components of the biological community.  To begin to characterize the creek we divided it into four distinctive zones, based on water velocity, sediment type, and the presence of three dominant organisms: algae, oysters, and barnacles.  To see details for a zone, click on any of the zones in the sketched map to the left.  To get a better idea of where the creek sits in relationship to the bay and lagoon, look at this USGS aerial photo of the site--the creek lies above the mushroom-shaped spit near the top of the photo.

To learn more about each zone, click on the zone in the map to the left, below.  For a list of organisms found among all zones, go here .

• Water flows out of Argyle Lagoon into Zone 1.  (Flow is reversed at high tide.)
• Zone 1: large algae (Ulva, Enteromorpha , filamentous reds) forming an extensive canopy; muddy substrate includes clam shell hash or clam shell and small rocks, beds of large (15-20 cm) oysters (Crassostrea gigas).
• Zone 2: No surface mud and no algae, shallower than Zone 1, small rocks, beds of small (7 cm) oysters (C. gigas), chitons, limpets.
• Zone 3: Rippling water at low tide, small tufts of filamentous red algae, subtidal Semibalanus barnacle beds, oyster beds.
• Zone 4: Large rocks start area of high velocity flow, shallow water depth, mussel beds (Mytilus edulis), beds of small oysters (C. gigas), and Semibalanus barnacle beds.
• Water flows from Zone 4 of Argyle Creek into North Bay.  (Flow is reversed at high tide.)