Landsat TM image showing a portion of the northern delta and turbidity patterns in the Atlantic Ocean.  The turbidity plume shows east-to-west sediment transport.  At the time this image was captured, Caño Macareo (far right) was supplying a significant quantity of suspended sediment to the Atlantic Ocean, whereas Caño Cocuina (center) was contributing little.  Suspended sediment typically accumulates as a northwest-trending mud cape that is quickly colonized by vegetation such as mangroves.  Much of the north-central delta coastline is muddy, and mud-cape accretion is the primary process of delta progradation in this region.  Note that the mud-cape accretion and longshore drift deflect distributary channels to the northwest.