Q. If the river meets the ocean, why doesn't the river have saltwater?
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A. Rivers do have saltwater where they meet the ocean. This area where the saltwater and freshwater mix together is called an estuary. Estuaries are extremely important because many types of fish and plants can live there. But the balance is easily upset. For example, if there is a drought and the water level of a river goes down, the estuary may become too salty and the saltwater may travel farther up the river. Many plants and animals may die. The Chesapeake and Delaware Bays are estuaries.