Impact of estuarine reclamation projects on saltwater intrusion and freshwater resource

Estuarine projects can change local topography and influence water transport and saltwater intrusion. The Changjiang (Yangtze) River estuary is a multichannel estuary, and four major reclamation projects have been implemented in the Changjiang River estuary in recent years: the Xincun Shoal reclamation project (RP-XCS), the Qingcao Shoal reclamation project (RP-QCS), the Eastern Hengsha Shoal reclamation project (RP-EHS), and the Nanhui Shoal reclamation project (RP-NHS). The effects of the four reclamation projects and each project on the saltwater intrusion and water resources in the Changjiang River estuary were simulated in a 3D numerical model. Results show that for a multichannel estuary, local reclamation projects change the local topography and water diversion ratio (WDR) between channels and influence water and salt transport and freshwater utilization in the estuary. During spring tide, under the cumulative effect of the four reclamation projects, the salinity decreases by approximately 0.5 in the upper reaches of the North Branch and increases by 0.5–1.0 in the middle and lower reaches of the North Branch. In the North Channel, the salinity decreases by approximately 0.5. In the North Passage, the salinity increases by 0.5–1.0. In the South Passage, the salinity increases by approximately 0.5 in the upper reaches and decreases by 0.2–0.5 on the north side of the middle and lower reaches. During neap tide, the cumulative effects of the four reclamation projects and the individual projects are similar to those during spring tide, but there are some differences. The effects of an individual reclamation project on WDR and saltwater intrusion during spring and neap tides are simulated and analyzed in detail. The cumulative effect of the four reclamation projects favors freshwater usage in the Changjiang River estuary.

     

Impact of seasonal tide variation on saltwater intrusion in the Changjiang River estuary

An improved 3-D ECOM-si model was used to study the impact of seasonal tide variation on saltwater intrusion into the Changjiang River estuary, especially at the bifurcation of the North Branch (NB) and the South Branch (SB). The study assumes that the river discharge and wind are constant. The model successfully reproduced the saltwater intrusion. During spring tide, there is water and salt spillover (WSO and SSO) from the NB into the SB, and tidally averaged (net) water and salt fluxes are 985 m3/s and 24.8 ton/s, respectively. During neap tide, the WSO disappears and its net water flux is 122 m3/s. Meanwhile, the SSO continues, with net salt flux of 1.01 ton/s, much smaller than during spring tide. Because the tidal range during spring tide is smaller in June than in March, overall saltwater intrusion is weaker in June than in March during that tidal period. However, the WSO and SSO still exist in June. Net water and salt fluxes in that month are 622 m3/s and 15.35 ton/s, respectively, decreasing by 363 m3/s and 9.45 ton/s over those in March. Because tidal range during neap tide is greater in June than in March, saltwater intrusion in June is stronger than in March during that tidal period. The WSO and SSO appear in June, with net water and salt fluxes of 280 m3/s and 8.55 ton/s, respectively, increasing by 402 m3/s and 7.54 ton/s over those in March. Saltwater intrusion in the estuary is controlled by the river discharge, semi-diurnal flood-ebb tide, semi-monthly spring or neap tide, and seasonal tide variation.     

Tidal Effects on the Bottom Thermal Front of North Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass near Zhangzi Island in Summer 2009

Three seabed-mounted TD/CTD chains and two upward-looking acoustic Doppler current profilers(ADCPs) in the southwest of Zhangzi Island are used and a simultaneous cruise observation in the northern North Yellow Sea(NYS) is conducted to study temperature variation in the bottom thermal front zone of the NYS Cold Water Mass(NYSCWM) during the summer of 2009. In the flood-ebb tidal cycles, the bottom temperature decreases(increases) during flood(ebb) tides, which are dominated by the tidal-current induced horizontal advection. The ebb tide-induced temperature increase is larger than the flood tide-induced temperature decrease due to seasonal warming. In the spring-neap tidal cycles, the temperature and the vertical temperature structure show notable fortnightly variation from 16 July to 25 August. The bottom temperature increases from neap to spring tides and decreases from spring to neap. The Richardson number demonstrates strengthened vertical mixing during spring tides but enhanced stratification during neap tides. The spring-neap variation in vertical shear caused by tidal current is the dominant factor that induces the fortnightly variation in vertical mixing and thus bottom temperature.     

Modeling the Water-Flushing Properties of the Yangtze Estuary and Adjacent Waters

As a multi-branch estuary system, the Yangtze Estuary presents distinctive characteristics of hydrodynamic processes through co-action among river runoff, tides, wind-waves, and gravitational circulation. To study the pathways of flushing water along all of the estuary's branches and analyze their differences, especially those due to the influence of seawater intrusion and discharge variations, a free surface flow modeling suite TELEMAC-MASCARET involving passive tracers was applied to the Yangtze Estuary and the adjacent waters. The open boundary conditions were provided by the Nao.99 b model(Matsumoto et al., 2000), which was calibrated using observed velocity and salinity data obtained in March 2002. The water age, which was used as the diagnostic tool to study the flushing efficiency of the water body across the estuary, was solved by additional advection-diffusion-reaction equations implemented in the TELEMAC modeling system. The transport properties were investigated under different river discharge scenarios, which represented seasonal impacts; aspects relating to the influence of tide, surface wind stress, and density-induced circulation on age were also investigated. Model results showed that river runoff is one of the dominant factors influencing the spatial distribution of the mean age, while tidal force is another important factor. The horizontal freshwater age distribution demonstrated similarity compared with the salinity distribution; the vertical age distribution resembled the stratification pattern of salinity in all branches where stratification persists. An experimental numerical simulation of tracing saltwater age from the lower reaches of the estuary was conducted, and implicated the connectivity with transport processes of freshwater from upstream. Additionally, a particle tracking algorithm was used to analyze the dynamic characteristics of the four passages. The South Passage and South Channel were found to be significant as main water flow passages, while salinity intrusion in the North Branch was found to cause a return flow that partially joins the South Branch flushing water.     

Formation mechanism of freshwater zone around the Meimao Sandbank in the Changjiang estuary

This study focuses on dynamic mechanism behind the formation of the freshwater zone around the Meimao Sandbank by use of 3D numerical simulation. The Meimao Sandbank is located along the southern bank of the South Passage in the Changjiang (Yangtze River) estuary, which is considered as a freshwater resource for Shanghai City. Interaction between runoff and tide is the main mechanism of the freshwater zone formation. However, the freshwater zone often suffers from saltwater intrusion in dry season. Tidal oscillation is stronger during spring tides, able to carry freshwater farther seaward. Therefore, it is more likely to occur during the ebb of a spring tide in dry seasons. In addition, the water zone is sensitive to runoff: when runoff decreases, it disappears, and vice versa. The northerly winds favor the formation of the freshwater zone.     

Seasonal variation of tidal prism and energy in the Changjiang River estuary:a numerical study

Tidal rivers are intrinsically complex because tidal propagation is influenced by river discharge. This study aims to examine the seasonal variation of tidal prism and energy variance in the tidal river of the Changjiang(Yangtze) River estuary in China. In order to quantify the behaviour of river and tide,we use numerical modelling that has been validated using measured data. We conduct our analysis by quantifying the discharge and energy variance in separate components for both the river and the tide,during wet and dry seasons. We note various definitions of tidal prism and explore the difference between tidal discharge on the flood and ebb and tidal storage volume. The results show that the river discharge attenuates the tidal motion and reduces the tidal flood discharge but the tidal storage volume is approximately constant with different riverine discharge since part of the fresh water discharge is intercepted and captured in the estuary due to the backwater effect. It appears that the tidal discharge adjusts according to the variation of river discharge to keep a constant tidal storage volume. An analysis of the hydraulics shows that the transition from tidal dominance(at the mouth) to river dominance(upstream) depends on the location of tidal current reversal which varies from wet season to dry season. Duringthe wet season,the Changjiang River estuary is totally dominated by energy from fresh water discharge.     

Energetics and temporal variability of internal tides in Luzon Strait: a nonhydrostatic numerical simulation

A fully nonlinear,three-dimensional nonhydrostatic model driven by four principal tidal constituents(M2,S2,K1,and O1) is used to investigate the spatial-temporal characteristics and energetics of internal tides in Luzon Strait(LS).The model results show that,during spring(neap) tides,about 64(47) GW(1 GW=109 W) of barotropic tidal energy is consumed in LS,of which 59.0%(50.5%) is converted to baroclinic tides.About 22(11) GW of the derived baroclinic energy flux subsequently passes from LS,among which 50.9%(54.3%) flows westward into the South China Sea(SCS) and 45.0%(39.7%) eastward into the Pacific Ocean,and the remaining 16(13) GW is lost locally owing to dissipation and convection.It is revealed that generation areas of internal tides vary with the spring and neap tide,indicating different source areas for internal solitary waves in the northern SCS.The region around the Batan Islands is the most important generation region of internal tides during both spring and neap tides.In addition,the baroclinic tidal energy has pronounced seasonal variability.Both the total energy transferred from barotropic tides to baroclinic tides and the baroclinic energy flux flowing out of LS are the highest in summer and lowest in winter.     

The movement of bed-load discharge near the shore of Shijiu harbour

Shijiu Harbour is to be constructed at southern Shandong as an important shipping center with a docking capacity of 100 thousand tonnages of a single vessel.Tides and tidal currents were frequently observed at three different layers from December 1979 to April 1980. Bed-load discharge was sampled and calculated for different weather conditions. Some of the results are as follows:1. The amount of bed-load discharge is 0.1359 g/cm2/day during the spring tide, 0.09 g/cm2/day during the neap tide, 0.488 g/cm2/day during storm weather, which is four times as high as that during average tides.2. The maximum amount of the sediments that settle to the waterway is less than 46.7768 g/cm2 per year, therefore the waterway will not be blocked by the transported sand and clay even after a storm weather.     

Tidal analysis in the venturi-shaped area between Zhenhai and Shenjiamen in the East China Sea

In order to better understand the general tidal features in the venturi-shaped area between Zhenhai and Shenjiamen in the northern coastal region of Zhejiang Province in the East China Sea, the tidal data were obtained from both the three permanent tide stations of Zhenhai, Dinghai and Shenjiamen, and four temporary tide stations of Mamu, Chuanshan, Guoju and Liuheng, along with the current speed being observed at Luotou Waterway. Results from harmonic analysis show that: (1) The area was dominated by shallow water tides with irregular semi-diurnal features, and the smallest tidal range occurred in the area near a crossing line between Zhenhai and Dinghai stations, indicating that a tidal node existed in the southern Hangzhou Bay; (2) Formulae, HS2/HM2 >0.4 and gM2-(gK1+gO1)=270° (where H and g are harmonic constants), could be used as judging criteria for high and low tidal level diurnal inequalities; (3) The duration difference between ebb and flood tides could be roughly assessed by the ratio of HM4 vs. HM2; and the larger the ratio is, the bigger the duration difference is. At the same time, the duration period could be assessed by 2gM2-gM4, the epoch difference between M2 and M4 tidal constituents. If 2gM2-gM4 <180°, then the ebb duration is longer than the flood duration; if 180°< 2gM2-gM4 <360°, the result is reversed; (4) Taking Dinghai station as a center point, the highest tidal levels and the average high tidal levels, as well as the average tidal ranges at all stations became higher and larger both southeastwards and northwestwards, while the lowest tidal levels and the average low tidal levels appeared to be lower both southeastwards and northwestwards; and (5) The tidal patterns were not all in line with the tidal current patterns. As a conclusion, the smallest tidal range occurred in the narrow part of the venturi-shaped area. Along the both sides of the area, the highest tidal level and tidal range became higher and larger, while the lowest tidal level became lower with the increase of the distance from the narrow throat area. This is somehow different from the theory that the tidal level increases gradually when it moves towards the top narrow area of a V-shaped bay or estuary.     

Tidal effects on diel variations of picoplankton and viruses in the Changjiang estuary

Spatial distributions and seasonal variations of picoplankton (i.e. Synechococcus spp., Prochlorococcus spp., picoeukaryotes and heterotrophic bacteria) and viruses in the Changjiang estuary have been reported in the past. However, short-term variations (e.g. at a tidal timescale) of these organisms and their regulating factors remain unclear. We determined the time-series of fluctuations of picoplankton and viruses with tide simultaneously in flow cytometry in the Changjiang estuary during a cruise in June 2006, in which a tidal model based rectangle equation was applied. The results indicate that high cell abundances of picoplankton and viruses occurred during flood tide and low cell abundances during ebb tide. The period of the surface cell abundance variations was about 13 h, suggesting the surface cell abundances in the Changjiang estuary were largely regulated by tide. However, cell abundances in middle and bottom waters varied in different periods due to influences of tidal induced physical forces such as resuspension and stratification. Therefore, tidal action is an important factor for the diel variations of picoplankton and viruses in the Changjiang estuary.     

利用黄河泥沙围出“渤海湖”的初步设想

本文是一个关于将渤海变成淡水湖的水利工程的构想。让黄河的大量泥沙通过人工导流的方式沿莱州湾南岸与渤海海峡沉积延伸,产生的陆地将渤海封闭并逐渐形成淡水湖。这一工程将陆地连接山东半岛与辽东半岛,并为华北提供巨大淡水库,具有显著的经济、生态效益。具体实施上,可通过两道渔网式围栏促使黄河泥沙定点沉积并阻挡浪潮侵蚀,通过加强汛期水量增加黄河口泥沙。     

Modeling transportation of suspended solids in Zhujiang River estuary, South China

A three-dimensional transportation model for suspended solids （SS） in Zhujiang （Pearl） River estuary, South China, was developed by coupling with a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model. The model was validated using hourly measured data of sediment contents during 25-26, July 1999. The results showed that modeled contents matched well with measured ones and that the modeled top layer distribution agreed with the remotely sensed image of suspended solids in summer. The modeled results showed clearly the layers of suspended solids in depth, with larger sediment contents in lower layers though in the interface between salt water and freshwater the lowest contents appeared in middle layer. In overall, the suspended solids inflow from 8 rivers,transport southwestward, and carried by strong coastal flow in Zhujiang River estuary. Contours of sediment contents in the estuary spread further to the open sea during ebb tide rather than flood tide which reflects that the suspended solids in the estuary are land sourced.     

Numerical study on the influences of Nanliu River runoff and tides on water age in Lianzhou Bay

The concept of water age is applied to calculate the timescales of the transport processes of freshwater in Lianzhou Bay,using a model based on ECOMSED.In this study,water age is defined as the time that has elapsed since the water parcel enters the Nanliu River.The results show that the mean age at a specified position and the runoff of the Nanliu River are well correlated and can be approximately expressed by a natural logarithmic function.During the neap tide,it takes 70,60 and 40 days in the dry,normal and rainy seasons for water to travel from the mouth of the Nanliu River to the northeast of Lianzhou Bay,respectively,which is not beneficial to water exchange in the bay.Tides significantly influence the model results;it takes five less days for the tracer to be transported from the mouth of the Nanliu River to the north of Guantouling during the spring tide than during the neap tide.     

Variations of dissolved iron in the Amur River during an extreme flood event in 2013

As a key factor limiting primary productivity in marine ecosystem, dissolved iron(DFe) export from fluvial systems has increased recently. There is particular concern about discharges of DFe during extreme flooding, when they are thought to increase considerably. An extreme flood event that caused inundation of extensive areas of Far Eastern Russia and Northeastern China occurred in the basin of the Amur River during summer and autumn 2013. During this event, water samples were collected in the middle reaches of the Amur River and the lower reaches at Khabarovsk City and analyzed for DFe concentrations and other aquatic parameters. The results show that the average DFe concentrations in the middle reaches of the Amur River(right bank) and at Khabarovsk were 1.11 mg/L and 0.32 mg/L, respectively, during the extreme flood in 2013. The total discharge of DFe during the flood event was 6.25 × 104 t. The high discharge of DFe during the flood reflects the elevated discharge of the river, hydrologically connected riparian wetlands, vast quantities of terrestrial runoff, and flood discharges from the Zeya and Bureya reservoirs. These results show that long-term monitoring is needed to identify and assess the impacts of DFe transport on the downstream reaches, estuarine area, and coastal ecosystems of the Amur River.     

Response of the distributary channel of the Huanghe River estuary to water and sediment discharge regulation in 2007

The water and sediment discharge regulation (WSDR) project, which has been performed since 2002 before flood season every year, is of great significance to the river management in China. Until 2007, six experiments have been fulfilled to evaluate the effect of the project on the natural environment. To fill the gap of investigations, a study on flood and suspended sediment transportation and channel changing along the distributary channel of the Huanghe (Yellow) River was conducted during the WSDR project period in 2007. The lower channel was scoured rapidly and the channel became unobstructed gradually several days after the flood peak water was discharged from the Xiaolangdi Reservoir. Within four days after the flood peak at 3 000 m³/s entered the distributary, the channel in the river mouth area was eroded quickly. Both the mean values of area and depth of the main channel were tripled, and the maximum flood carrying capacity increased to 5 500 m³/s or more. Then, the river channel was silted anew in a very short time after completion of the WSDR. Favored by the WSDR project, the river status in April 2008 became better than that of the year before. The adjustment ranges of main channel parameters were about 30%, 10%, and 10% at sections C2, Q4, and Q7, respectively. The process of rapid erosion-deposition was more active 15 km away in the channel from the river mouth due to the marine influence. It is reasonable for discharging sediment at concentration peak from Xiaolangdi Reservoir at the end of the flood peak. As a result, the sediment peak reached the river mouth about two days later than that of the water current. In addition, the WSDR project has improved the development of the estuarine wetland. Wetland vegetation planted along the river banks restrained the water flow as a strainer and improved the main channel stability. It is suggested to draw water at mean rate of 150 m³/s from the Huanghe River during flood periods, because at the rate the water in the wetland would be stored and replenished in balance. Moreover, we believe that cropland on the river shoal of the lower Huanghe River should be replaced by wetland. These activities should achieve the Huanghe River management strategy of “To concentrate flow to scour sediment, stabilize the main channel, and regulate water and sediment”.     

DYNAMIC VARIATION OF NITROGEN CONTENT IN THE SECOND SONGHUA RIVER

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Recruitment of postlarval prawns,Penaeus Orientalis,to a tidal estuary of Jiaozhou Bay,China

PostlarvalPenaeus orientalis kishinouye were simultaneously sampled at three fixed stations near the mouth of the Dagu River estuary in northwestern Jiaozhou Bay, China, at hourly intervals over a 49-h period in mid-June, 1984. The purpose of this sampling was to investigate the prawn’s recruitment into estuaries from coastal areas. The abundance of the postlarvae varied considerably between stations and time, but they tended to concentrate at the surface. Maximum entropy spectral analysis was first applied in the study of prawn recruitment and it revealed that variations in abundance involved a pronounced 12.4 hr cycle. It was concluded that natural tidal cycles had a strong influence on the changes of postlarval abundance, in contrast with the minor effects of diet and other environmental cycles. A tidally varying cross-river gradient of postlarval density was found. During flood tides the postlarvae were more abundant in the axis of the channel than over the banks. The opposite held true during ebb tides. Mechanisms of the postlarval recruitment are discussed in terms of alternating movements of the postlarvae between the banks and the channels in response to tidal cycles. Contribution No. 1485 from the Institute of Oceanology, Academia Sinica     

Effect of tidal currents on the transport of saline water from the North Branch in the Changjiang River estuary

Based on the MIKE 21 numerical model combined with measured data, a numerical model for the coupling of water and salinity in the Changjiang(Yangtze) River estuary was established, and based on good verification, the influence of the tidal current intensity on the transport and variations of salinity concentrations in saline water from the North Branch to the South Branch was numerically evaluated. The time and space mean root mean square of the tidal current velocity can be expressed as a parabolic function of an adjustment coefficient for the amplitude of the M2 tidal constituent along the open boundaries of the model. Under the advection of runof f and tidal currents, the saline pool is transported downstream in an oscillatory pattern. With the enhancement of tidal current intensity, the oscillatory motion of the saltwater pool is increasingly significant in a tidal cycle forced by rising and falling tides. Along four set paths, the daily average concentrations of the saline core were generally similar, and in the process of transportation downstream, the concentrations of saltwater declined. The decay of the tidal-period-averaged salinity of the saltwater was linearly related to the square of the tidal current. Thus, the tidal current has a significant and direct impact on saltwater transport and diffusion in the Changjiang River estuary.     

Factorial analysis of annual erosion-accretion cycles of tidal flats in the front area of the southern Changjiang river delta

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Nonlinear interaction between astronomical tides and storm surges at wusong tidal station

There are obvious periodic oscillations in the observations of storm surges in the East China Sea. The storm surges are not only controlled by the wind stresses and isolated long wave caused by typhoons but also affected by the interaction between astronomical tides and storm surges. In the present paper we simulate the interaction between tides and storm surges by using a two dimensional numerical model. In our numerical experiments we use the data of the storm surge induced by Typhoon 8114. The calculations tally with the measured data well. The results indicate that the periodic oscillations occurring in the elevations of the surge are mainly caused by the interaction between the tide and the storm surge. The numerical experiments also indicate that the forecasting precision may be notably improved if the nonlinear interaction between tides and storm surges is taken into account.