Investigation and comparison of one-dimensional (1-D) analytical models prediction for salt intrusion condition in two selected estuaries

Abstract

In this paper, two analytical models used worldwide to assess salinity variation in alluvial estuaries are applied to the Ashtamudi estuary, a Ramsar site, southwest coast of India; and Bouregreg estuary, in northwest part of Morocco. The estuaries’ bathymetry is described by an exponential function. Both models are quite similar and use a predictive equation for the dispersion in the estuary mouth (D₀). The major difference between the two models is the use of the constant value of K?=?0.5 for the Van der Burgh coefficient (K) and the introduction of the correction factor ζ, which is a function of damping (δ) and shape (γ). The performance of these two models was evaluated by comparing their results with field measurements; this revealed that both analytical models apply well to both the estimation of salinity distribution and the prediction of salt intrusion in the Ashtamudi and Bouregreg estuaries (Ashtamudi: RMSE = 0.60–1.22 ppt; Bouregreg: RMSE = 0.92–2.71 ppt). One model agrees more with the field measurements of salinity distribution along the estuaries axis; the second underestimate and overestimate some values of salinity distribution along the estuaries. Possibly, the constant value of K?=?0.5 for the Van der Burgh coefficient (K) has applicability limits for the estuaries under tidal conditions. The specifying of the parameterization may be a field of research.     

Comment on “A note on salt intrusion in funnel-shaped estuaries: Application to the Incomati estuary, Mozambique” by

A comment is provided on the paper by Brockway et al. (2006. A note on salt intrusion in funnel-shaped estuaries: application to the Incomati estuary, Mozambique. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 66, 1–5) on a simple method to determine the salt intrusion in the Incomati estuary. Although this method is able to describe the salt intrusion in the Incomati reasonably well with only limited information, it is demonstrated that with the same data, but a more up-to-date methodology, a better and generally applicable equation could have been obtained.     

One-Dimensional Hydraulic Analysis of the Effect of Sea Level Rise on Salinity Intrusion in the Sebou Estuary,Morocco

Global climate change has resulted in a gradual sea-level rise. Sea-level rise can cause saline water to migrate upstream in estuaries and rivers, thereby threatening freshwater habitat and drinking water supplies. On the other hand, sea-level rise, resulting from thermal expansion of ocean waters and increased melting of glaciers and ice caps, is one of the most apparent and widespread consequences of climate change. This phenomenon has been taken into account in all the Assessment Reports published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). In this paper, salinity intrusion and intrusion length due to possible sea-level rise in the Sebou estuary (Morocco) was investigated. A one-dimensional hydrodynamic-salinity transport model was used for the simulation of the salinity intrusion and associated water quality, with observed field data being used for model calibration and validation. Additionally, the model validation process showed that the model results fit the observed data fairly well. A coupled gas-cycle/climate model was used to generate the climate change scenarios in the studied area that showed sea-level rises varying from 0.3 to 0.9 m for 2100. The models were then combined to assess the impact of future sea-level rise on the salinity distribution and intrusion length in the Sebou estuary. The response of salt intrusion length to changes in important dimensional parameters are presented, showing that the salinity intrusion length is inversely correlated with the river discharge, i.e., a high river discharge results in a reduced salt intrusion and vice versa, and directly with the sea-level rise. Additionally, the magnitude and frequency of the salinity standard violations at the two pump stations were predicted for 2100, showing that the salinity violations under climate change effects can increase to ～45–48% of the times at these locations. Finally, the main objective of this simulation method is to accelerate and facilitate of systems' behavior learning in the current and future situation.     

A power-law multivariable regression equation for salt intrusion length in the Bouregreg estuary,Morocco

Abstract

Prediction of salt intrusion length in estuaries is a challenge for managers as well as scientists in this field. Several numerical and empirical models have been developed for the prediction of salt intrusion length in recent decades. However, all these models require large data set on estuary geometry, tide, stratification turbulence which demands experimental cost and time, and which is not always available as in our case. Thus, for reducing the complexity of analysis, a new simple equation was derived to predict the salinity intrusion length using nonlinear multivariable regression in the Bouregreg estuary, Morocco. The equation relates salt intrusion length with freshwater discharge and tidal range using a power law. The salt intrusion length predicted by the developed equation was in good agreement (R² = 0.72) with that obtained using a numerical salinity transport model (HEC-RAS software “Hydrologic Engineering Center River Analysis System”). This simple formula is completely transparent and practical for Bouregreg estuary, allowing direct assessment of the parameters on the salt intrusion. Therefore, the proposed model can either be used to predict the salt intrusion for a given freshwater discharge and tidal range, or can used as a tool to design the minimum daily discharge to regulate the salt intrusion into the estuary, thereby providing assistance for management plans.     

海平面变化背景下三大河口咸潮入侵特征及变化浅析

基于2009-2019年实测资料分析研究我国三大河口咸潮入侵的特征及变化规律.研究结果表明:2009年以来,珠江口每年都会受到咸潮入侵的威胁,2019年咸潮入侵程度为近8年来最为严重的一年,全禄水厂超标时间超过210 h;钱塘江口除2014年外均发生较强咸潮入侵,其中2019年咸潮入侵程度为近9年最为严重的一年,南星水...     

One-Dimensional Unsteady Analytical Solution of Salinity Intrusion in Estuaries

Based on the one-dimensional salinity transport equation with constant diffusion coefficient, and separated water flow velocity into runoff and tidal current with the single-frequency in an idealized estuary, the simplest unsteady analytical so- lution of salinity intrusion is deduced and the estimation formula of diffusion coefficient is obtained in this paper. The unsteady solution indicates that salinity process in estuaries results from the interaction of runoff and tidal current, and its amplitude is in direct proportion to the product of the velocity of runoff water and the amplitude of tidal flow velocity and in inverse proportion to the diffusion coefficient and the tidal angular frequency, and its phase lag tidal flow with 7/2 which reveals the basic features of the maximum salinity appearing after flood slack and the minimum salinity appearing before ebb slack under the effect of runoff （the advance or lag time is relative to the magnitude of runoff and tidal flow）. According to the measured flow velocity and salinity data, the salinity diffusion coefficient could be estimated. Finally, with the field data of observing sites on the deepwater navigation channel of the Yangtze Estuary, the diffusion coefficient is calculated and a comparative analysis of simulated and measured of salinity process is made. The results show that the solution can comprehensively reflects the basic characteristics and processes of salinity intrusion under the interaction of runoff and tidal flow in estuaries. The solution is not only suitable for theoretical research, but also convenient for estimating reasonable physical parameters and giving the initial condition in the salinity intrusion numerical simulation.     

Metal concentrations in sediments and clams in four Moroccan estuaries

Metals (Cd, Cu, Ni, Zn, Mn and Fe) were analyzed seasonally over three years in sediments and in tissues of the clam Scrobicularia plana in four Moroccan Atlantic estuaries: Loukkos, Sebou, Bou Regreg and Oum er Rbia. Of these metals, Cd was at the lowest concentrations in sediment. Concentrations of Cu, Zn, and to a lesser extent Ni, in sediments suggest greater contamination in Sebou and Bou Regreg than in the other estuaries. The fluctuations of Mn and Fe concentrations in the fine surface sediments reflect their continental origin and show seasonal variations that indicate soil run-off following rain events. Concentrations of Cu, Zn, and especially Ni in clam tissues in these estuaries were generally higher than in some other common bioindicator bivalve species. The seasonal variations in S. plana's tissue metal concentrations are linked to patterns of reproductive activity for all metals except Cd and possibly Zn, whose tissue concentrations may be regulated. Mn and Fe concentrations in S. plana were positively correlated to sediment levels of these metals.     

Dry Season Salinity Changes in Arid Estuaries Fringed by Mangroves and Saltflats

Mangrove swamps and hypersaline saltflats fringe many estuaries in dry tropical climates, especially in Northern Australia. For most of the year these estuaries receive zero riverine freshwater input and thus, after the wet season, a steady increase in salinity occurs. In some locations the estuary becomes fully inverse, i.e. the salinity increases monotonically from the mouth to the head. In other locations, a salinity maximum zone separates the sea from low salinity water that persists at the head of the estuary throughout the dry season. Field data from five estuaries indicate that in short estuaries where a large area of saltflats and mangroves extends over the whole length of the estuary, the estuary becomes completely inverse with salinity rising to 55 within a couple of months. The evaporation and evapotranspiration over the saltflats and mangroves cause this rapid increase in salinity. Longer estuaries where a large area of salt flat exists only close to the mouth do not become completely hypersaline for the whole length of the estuary by the end of the dry season. A salinity-maximum is generated close to the river mouth but salinities of less than 10 persist in the upper reaches of the estuary until the end of the dry season, even though the estuary does not receive any further freshwater input. A simple analytical expression is presented that reproduces the changes in salinities in the estuaries studied. This model can be used to predict the formation of hypersaline conditions in other mangrove and saltflat fringed estuaries where freshwater flow is negligible.     

Influence of Wind on Dynamics and Flushing of Shallow Estuaries

Observations of two small estuaries in Cape Cod, U.S.A. indicate large variations in salinity structure that are forced by variations in along-estuary wind stress. During onshore winds, the estuarine circulation is reduced, and the along-estuary salinity gradient increases as freshwater accumulates. During offshore winds, the surface outflow is enhanced, freshwater is flushed out of the estuary, and the along-estuary salinity gradient becomes weak. Constrictions block the wind-induced flushing, resulting in strong salinity fronts across the constrictions. The residence time of one of the estuaries varies by more than a factor of three in response to variations in wind-induced flushing. The other estuary has little variation of flushing associated with winds, due to a constriction at the mouth that inhibits the wind-induced exchange. The strong influence of winds on the flushing of these estuaries is due in part to their shallow depths, which accentuates the influence of wind stress relative to the effects of the horizontal density gradient. In addition, the residence times of the estuaries are comparable to the time scale of wind forcing, allowing large changes in water properties during wind events.     

河口细颗粒泥沙的絮凝作用

本文对河口细颗粒泥沙絮凝作用的研究工作进行了综合评述．对盐度、有机物、水流切应力及悬浮颗粒的表面电荷等因素对河口细颗粒泥沙絮凝作用的影响规律及絮凝机理进行了总结和探讨．     

Using salt intrusion measurements to determine the freshwater discharge distribution over the branches of a multi-channel estuary: The Mekong Delta case

The fresh water discharge is an important parameter for modelling salt intrusion in an estuary. In alluvial converging estuaries during periods of low flow, when salinity is highest, the river discharge is generally small compared to the tidal flow. This makes the determination of the fresh water discharge a challenging task. Even if discharge observations are available during a full tidal cycle, the fresh water discharge is seldom much larger than the measurement error in the tidal discharge. Observations further upstream, outside the tidal region, do not always reflect the actual flow in the saline area due to withdrawals or additional drainage. Discharge computation is even more difficult in a complex system such as the Mekong Delta, which is a multi-channel estuary consisting of many branches, over which the freshwater discharge distribution cannot be measured directly. This paper presents a new approach to determine the freshwater discharge distribution over the branches of the Mekong Delta by means of an analytical salt intrusion model, based on measurements made during the dry season of 2005 and 2006. It appears that the analytical model agrees well with observations and with a hydraulic model. This paper demonstrates that with relatively simple and appropriate salinity measurements and making use of the analytical salt intrusion model, it is possible to obtain an accurate discharge distribution over the branches of a complex estuary system. This makes the analytical model a powerful tool to analyze the water resources in tidal regions.     

Seasonally Hypersaline Estuaries in Mediterranean-climate Regions

Data collected in three Californian estuaries indicate that hypersaline conditions exist during the dry summers typical of a Mediterranean climate. The generalised seasonal and longitudinal hydrographic structures are described and explained. It is argued that this seasonal hypersalinity is common and that it represents a major class of estuaries. The observed accumulation of salt indicates surprisingly long residence times in small basins which have free exchange with the ocean. This semi-isolation of the inner basin leads to a large build-up or severe depletion of nutrients, pollutants and plankton in these systems. Of concern are the trends to increase pollutant loading in the same systems that are experiencing an increase in residence times owing to freshwater extraction in the watershed.     

A note on salt intrusion in funnel-shaped estuaries: Application to the Incomati estuary,Mozambique

Salt intrusion in estuaries is important for ecological reasons as well as water extraction purposes. The distance salt intrudes upstream depends on a number of factors, including river discharge, tidal and wind mixing and gravitational circulation. In this paper, an analytical solution is presented for the salt intrusion in a well mixed, funnel-shaped estuary whose cross sectional area decreases exponentially (with decay coefficient β) with distance, x, inland, and in which longitudinal mixing is constant along the length of the estuary. The solution predicts that a graph of the logarithm of salinity against exp (βx) should be a straight line, with slope proportional to the mixing coefficient K_x. The solution is tested against observations from 15 surveys over a four-year period in the Incomati estuary. Good straight line fits, as predicted, are observed on all surveys, with a mean R² = 0.97. The average value of K_x for all surveys is 38 m² s⁻¹. The solution is used to make predictions about the minimum river flow required to prevent salt intruding to an extent where it causes a detrimental effect on water extraction. The minimum recommended river flow required to prevent this is 35 m³ s⁻¹. In recent years, flow has fallen below this level for several months each year.     

Water level variations in the Neuse and Pamlico Estuaries,North Carolina due to local and remote forcing

Water level time series records from the Neuse and Pamlico River Estuaries were statistically compared to local and distant wind field data, water level records within the Pamlico Sound and also coastal ocean sites to determine the relative contribution of each time series to water levels in the Neuse and Pamlico Estuaries. The objectives of this study were to examine these time series data using various statistical methods (i.e. autoregressive, empirical orthogonal function analysis (EOF), exploratory data analysis (EDA)) to determine short- and long-time-scale variability, and to develop predictive statistical models that can be used to estimate past water level fluctuations in both the Neuse Estuary (NE) and Pamlico Estuary (PE). Short- and long-time-scale similarities were observed in all time series of estuarine, Pamlico Sound and subtidal coastal ocean water level and wind component data, due to events (nor'easters, fronts and tropical systems) and seasonality. Empirical orthogonal function analyses revealed a strong coastal ocean and wind field contribution to water level in the NE and PE. Approximately 95% of the variation was captured in the first two EOF components for water level data from the NE, sound and coastal ocean, and 70% for the PE, sound and coastal ocean. Spectral density plots revealed strong diurnal signals in both wind and water level data, and a strong cross correlation and coherency between the NE water level and the North/South wind component. There was good agreement between data and predictions using autoregressive statistical models for the NE (R² = 0.92) and PE (R² = 0.76). These methods also revealed significant autoregressive lags for the NE (days 1 and 3) and for the PE (days 1, 2 and 3). Significant departures from predictions are attributed to local meteorological and hydrological events. The autoregressive techniques showed significant predictive improvement over ordinary least squares methods. The results are considered within the context of providing long time-scale hindcast data for the two estuaries, and the importance of these data for multidisciplinary researchers and managers.     

Morphology, hydrography and sediment dynamics in a mangrove estuary: The Konkoure Estuary, Guinea

The Konkouré Estuary in the Republic of Guinea is a poorly understood atypical mangrove system. Sediment dynamics in tropical estuaries are controlled by a combination of processes including river discharge, morphology, salinity, erosion and deposition processes, the settling of mud, physico-chemical processes and mangrove swamps. Here we present a consistent set of data aimed at characterising the estuary and thus, increasing our understanding of tropical systems, as well as studying the impact of human intervention in the region. Water elevations, current measurements, salinity, suspended sediment concentrations, bathymetry and sediment cover are presented following a 3 year survey of the Konkouré Estuary. Here we provide conclusive evidence that the Lower Konkouré is a shallow, funnel shaped, mesotidal, mangrove-fringed, tide dominated estuary, well mixed during low river discharge. The estuary becomes stratified during high river flows and spring tides whereas a salt wedge appears during neap tides. The Konkouré Estuary has been described as hypersynchronous, and has three terminal outlets, two of which are landward-directed, attesting to a tidal pumping effect, while the third one is seaward-directed, and is controlled by the mangrove. The suspended matter is transported by the tidal effect within the middle estuary and is therefore trapped in the Turbidity Maximum zone (TMZ). The location of the TMZ is river-controlled and is correlated with residual currents but not with salinity front. A dam, constructed 130 km upstream, impacts on the hydrodynamics, and reduces the salinity intrusion by about 25%. It causes an increased low river discharge whereas its efficiency over high river flows is unclear.     

Prediction of salinity intrusion in the sheltered estuary of Terengganu River in Malaysia using 1-D empirical intrusion model

Generally one dimensional(1-D) empirical salinity intrusion model is limited to natural alluvial estuary. However,this study attempts to investigate its ability to model a sheltered alluvial estuary of the Terengganu River in Malaysia. The constructed breakwater at the mouth of the river shelters the estuary from direct influence of the open sea. The salinity density along the estuary was collected during the wet and dry seasons for scenarios before and after the constructed breakwater. Moreover, the freshwater discharges, tidal elevations and bathymetry data were also measured as model inputs. A good fit was demonstrated between simulated and observed variables,namely salinity distribution and intrusion length for both scenarios. Thus, the results show that 1-D empirical salinity model can be utilized for sheltered estuarine condition at the Terengganu Estuary, but with an appropriate determination of an initial point. Furthermore, it was observed that the salinity intrusion in the study area is largely dependent on the freshwater discharge rather than tidal elevation fluctuations. The scale of the salinity intrusion length in the study area is proportional to the river discharge of the –1/2 power. It was appeared that the two lines of the 1-D empirical salinity model and discharge power based equation fitted well to each other, with the average predicted minimum freshwater discharge of 150 m3/s is going to be required to maintain acceptable salinity levels during high water slack(HWS) near the water intake station, which is located at 10.63 km from river mouth.     

Field observations in a small subtropical estuary during and after a rainstorm event

In Australia, a large majority of small subtropical estuaries are narrow, elongated and meandering channels with large width to depth ratio and cross-sections which deepen and widen towards the mouth. Up to date, episodic rainstorm events in such small systems were rarely documented, and this study presents a field data set collected during and immediately after a rainstorm. A number of hydrodynamic and physio-chemical parameters were recorded simultaneously at several longitudinal locations for 12 h. The field measurements demonstrated a significant flushing of the estuarine zone, caused primarily by the rainfall runoff from the nearby shopping malls and roadways. Some strong vertical stratification of the water column was observed at all sampling locations, and the depth-averaged salinity data exhibited a dome-shaped intrusion curve. A solution of the salt dispersion equation provided some agreement with the freshwater flushing conditions during the wet weather.     

A modeling study on saltwater intrusion to western four watercourses in the Pearl River estuary

Saltwater intrusion has been serious in the Pearl River estuary in recent years. For better understanding and analysis of the saltwater movement to the estuary, the three-dimensional Finite-Volume Coastal Ocean Model (FVCOM) is made to simulate the salinity intrusion to the four western watercourses in the Pearl River estuary under three semilunar conditions. With the measured and simulated Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and the mean absolute percentage error of water level and salinity at multiple sites, the results show that the numerical water levels, salinity and flow velocities are in agreement with the measured data. It is acceptable and feasible to apply the FVCOM to simulate the salt water intrusion in the western four watercourses of the Pearl River. With the numerical data, the time and spatial movement patterns of saltwater intrusion along the Modao watercourse are analyzed. The salinity contour reaches its peak generally during 3-5 days before the spring tide. The salinity stratification is more obvious in the period of ebb tide than that in the rising tide whether in the spring or neap tides. Salt fluxes reflect changes of salt into the estuary, and the change rules are close to the rules of salinity intrusion.     

Modelling salinity and circulation for the Columbia River Estuary

Simulations of the time and depth-dependent salinity and current fields of the Columbia River Estuary have been performed using a multi-channel, laterally averaged estuary model. The study simulated two periods. The first, in October 1980, with low riverflow of about 4,000m³s⁻¹, which showed marked changes in the salinity intrusion processes between neap and spring tides; and second, in spring 1981, with high riverflow varying between 7,000 and 15,000m³s⁻¹, which showed the rapid response of the salinity intrusion to changes in riverflow and that vertical mixing did not change character with increasing tidal energy because of the maintenance of stratification by freshwater flow. An extreme low flow simulation (riverflow of 2,000m³s⁻¹) showed a more partially mixed character of the estuary channels with tidal dispersion of salt across the Taylor Sands from the North Channel to the upper reaches of the Navigation Channel. Asymmetries in the non-linear tidal mean flows, in the flood and ebb circulations, and salinity intrusion characteristics between the two major channels were observed at all riverflows. The model confirms Jay and Smith's (1990) analysis of the circulation processes in that tidal advection of salt by the vertically sheared tidal currents is the dominant mechanism by which the salinity intrusion is maintained against large freshwater flows. An accurate finite-difference method, which minimized numerical dispersion, was used for the advection terms and was an important component in reasonably simulating the October neap-spring differences in the salinity intrusion. The simulations compare favorably with elevation, current and salinity time series observations taken during October 1980 and spring 1981.     

珠江八大口门2016年枯季盐度同步观测及咸淡水混合研究

通过分析2016年枯季在珠江三角洲8个口门测站的现场同步观测盐度资料,总结了枯季八大口门同步盐度垂向分布和盐淡水混合特征.结果表明:由于八大口门的水动力条件、河口走向等不同,各口门的盐水入侵强度、盐淡水混合程度存在时空差异.其中,在盐度分布上表现为以横门为中心,向东西两侧口门,盐度逐渐递增;在层化参数分布上,总体上由横...