STS035-073-039 Rio de la Plata, Argentina December 1990
In addition to the Atlantic Ocean (eastern horizon), three important water features of Argentina’s central east coast are apparent in this high-oblique, southeast-looking photograph—the Paraná River (South America’s second largest drainage basin), the southward-flowing Uruguay River, and the muddy Rio de la Plata. Paraná’s delta, measuring more than 175 miles (275 kilometers) in length and averaging 30 miles (50 kilometers) in width, appears dark green in this northwest-southeast orientation. The delta is composed of numerous meandering and interbraided streams and channels that make it subject to occasional severe flooding. The silt-laden main watercourse is observable at various points within this flood prone area. The southward-flowing Uruguay River, which has a very high level of sediment, passes east of the mouth of the Paraná River delta. The merging of these two rivers with their high levels of silt almost always produces an extremely muddy Rio de la Plata. The interfluvial area of the Paraná and Uruguay Rivers, known as the Mesopotamia of South America, is composed of floodplain and gently rolling, well-drained land. Montevideo, capital of Uruguay near the northeast limit of the Rio de la Plata, and Buenos Aires, capital of Argentina at the southern end of the Paraná River delta, are not identifiable on this scale.
STS035-074-055 Uruguay River, Rio de la Plata, Uruguay December 1990
Entering the scene at the bottom center of the view, the Uruguay River can be seen entering Rio de la Plata (River Plate) estuary. The Uruguay River rises in the hills of southern Brazil and is over 1000 miles (1610 km) long. The river flows in an arc west, southwest, and south before entering the estuary and forms the Uruguay (left) and Argentina border (right). The Rio Negro is visible in the lower left portion flowing through agricultural land into the Uruguay River. The Uruguay River supplies significant irrigation water and hydroelectric power to southeastern Brazil and Uruguay. A small portion of the great delta (dark region) of the Parana River is visible to the right center of the image. The estuary of the Rio de la Plata is a funnel-shaped indentation on the southern coast of South America. The estuary is 180 miles (290 km) long, and is 136 miles (219 km) wide where it opens on the Atlantic Ocean and a mere 30 miles (48 km) wide where the Uruguay and Parana Rivers join (just right of center of the image). Each year, the Uruguay and Parana Rivers carry an estimated 2 billion cubic feet (57 million cubic meters) of silt into the estuary, where the muddy waters are continuously stirred up by winds and tides. Dredging is constantly required to keep commercial shipping lanes open from the Atlantic Ocean to the port of Buenos Aires (gray-colored area towards the top right of the image, partially under clouds) and other ports in Argentina and Uruguay.
STS035-076-034 Shark Bay, Western Australia, Australia December 1990
Numerous coves, estuaries, and peninsulas are featured in this close-up view of the southern half of Shark Bay. Dirk Hartog Island, partially visible along the right edge of the image, is the westernmost point of land in Australia. The deep blue water of the Indian Ocean (top of picture) shows a greater depth of water versus the shallower bottom that can be seen in various parts of Shark Bay. Peron Peninsula is the piece of land (center of picture) that is barely connected to the mainland by a narrow isthmus. Individual water features in the image include Disappointment Reach (east of Peron Peninsula); Hamelin Pool (lower left); and Denham Sound and the Freycinet Estuary on the west side of Peron Peninsula. Known worldwide as a site that has exceptional, natural beauty, Shark Bay is one of Australia’s famous world heritage sites and is also home to one of the world’s last surviving population of dugongs which feed on seagrasses in the bay. The lighter colored strips along the shoreline are sand dunes that provide an indication of the prevailing direction that the wind blows along the coast.
STS035-076-035 Shark Bay, Western Australia, Australia December 1990
Shark Bay is a large body of water along the west coast of Western Australia. The central part of the bay is shown here in the center of the image. Dirk Hartog Island, the westernmost land of Australia, borders the bay to the southwest (upper left) and Dorre and Bernier Islands (thin, elongated islands—bottom right) form a barrier between Shark Bay and the Indian Ocean. Peron Peninsula is the land area (middle left side) that juts northward into the middle of the bay. The light colored strips of land on the peninsulas and islands are exposed sand dunes that are aligned with the prevailing wind direction. Shark Bay is noted for its unique formations and features of exceptional natural beauty. The bay also provides an important habitat for threatened animals such as the dugongs.
STS035-076-040 Lake Macleod, West Australia, Australia December 1990
Lake Macleod, located approximately 43 miles (70 kilometers) north of the small town of Carnarvon, is normally a dry lake. At the time this photograph was taken there appears to be standing water in Lake Macleod (darker features near center of the image). Overall, the dry lake bed is a mosaic of saline alluvial plains with some shrublands and an assortment of sandy ridges, clay flats, and grasslands on and between red sand dunes. The light colored rectangular patterns (bottom left) are areas where salt mining operations are in progress. The southern end of Lake Macleod has been producing various quantities of salt since 1969. Much of the mined salt is exported to Pacific Rim countries.