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Observations are presented from a benthic observatory in the middle reaches of the York River estuary, VA, USA, that show evidence for both muddy flocs and pellets in the lower 1 m of the water column. This study combines in situ time series estimates of (i) volume concentration and particle size distribution from a Laser In Situ Scattering Transmisometer (LISST) (for 2.5-500 μm) and a high-definition particle camera (for 20 μm to 20 mm), and (ii) water velocity, turbulent stress, mass concentration and settling velocity derived from an Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter (ADV). Mass concentration, mass settling velocity and the abundant 88 μm size class are in phase with velocity and stress, consistent with suspension of relatively dense, rapidly settling and resilient ~90 μm pellets. Volume concentration of the abundant 280 mm class peaks well after stress and velocity begin to decrease, consistent with the formation of lower density, slowly settling and fragile ~300 μm flocs.