Lateral Saltwater Intrusion in the North Channel of the Changjiang Estuary

Saltwater intrusion typically develops in the along-channel direction but exceptions can be found in bifurcated estuaries. Based on the observational data, we found that the saltwater intrusion in the upper reaches of the North Channel (NC) of Changjiang Estuary is dominated by the lateral saltwater intrusion from a small northern outlet (denoted as NONC) of this channel. This phenomenon has severe effects on the freshwater usage in this region. To investigate the underlying mechanisms of this pattern of intrusion, numerical experiments were conducted using a well-validated model. A flux decomposing method was used to decompose the process of saltwater intrusion into several mechanisms. During the neap tide, the saltwater begins to intrude landward into the NONC through shear transport induced by estuarine circulation. During the transition period between the neap tide and the following spring tide, the saltwater that previously reached the NONC further intrudes into the NC via Lagrangian and tidal pumping transports, causing a significant salinity increase in the middle and upper reaches of the NC. During the spring tide and the subsequent middle tide, saltwater intrusion in the NONC retreats. The impacts of the topography of the NONC and the wind stress on this lateral saltwater intrusion were also evaluated in this study.     

珠江口咸潮入侵分析与经验模型——以磨刀门水道为例

收集了2004-2006年珠江口磨刀门水道咸潮发生时测站(1~7)逐日定时观测的的含氯度、水位与流量数据,分析了各监测站含氯度与水位的日变化与年变化,导出了咸潮演变各过程中,含氯度与径流、潮流、河口地形等的关系式,建立了珠江口地区磨刀门水道咸潮入侵的经验模型。据此,模拟了2006年1月12日的磨刀门地区的咸潮入侵态势,经过和沿途各观测点验证发现与实测数据非常吻合。以含氯度等于250mg/L(饮用水的含氯度最大值)的点作为咸潮入侵的最远点,用简化修改后的盐度模拟模型计算了磨刀门咸潮入侵最大距离,并根据2006年1月12~20日的河口含氯度与最近的上游天河站的径流量实测数据计算出相应的咸潮入侵最大距离。研究表明,在河流枯水期(珠江河口通常是12月至翌年3月),只要获得当天河口的含氯度和上游测站的径流量数据,就能利用此经验模型估算出河流各点的含氯度,作出盐度模拟图,并估算出相应的咸潮入侵最大距离。     

Dynamic characteristics of saltwater intrusion in the Pearl River Estuary,China

River discharge, tide, wind, topography and other factors all have great impacts on the saltwater intrusion of Modaomen Waterway (MW), a major outlet of the Pearl River Estuary. A coupled 1D–3D numerical model was applied in this study to account for the dynamic characteristics of saltwater intrusion in the MW, and the impacts of tide and river discharge on the length of saltwater intrusion were uncovered. Results are as the followings: (1) River discharge from upstream induces an obvious dilution of salinity along the MW, whereas tide can exert a positive force that pushes salt water landward. The effects of river discharge and tide on the length of saltwater intrusion can be well described by a regression function; (2) the saltwater intrusion along the MW is generally aggravated by increases in tidal range from the South China Sea. The length of saltwater intrusion usually reaches a maximum 2 or 3 days before spring tide, and the hourly length of saltwater intrusion along the MW usually slows the tidal process for approximately 4 h, which can provide important information that the pumping operation along the MW to store freshwater in the backup storages needs to be at least 3 days ahead of the spring tide so as to avoid serious impact from saltwater intrusion; (3) the length of saltwater intrusion generally decreases with increasing river discharge. In 2005, 2009 and 2010, the average river discharge from upstream was 2680, 2630 and 3160 m³/s, respectively, with corresponding average lengths of saltwater intrusion of 32.7, 42.3 and 21.4 km. The inverse correlation between the water flow and the length of saltwater intrusion may provide some guidance for operations to maintain enough upstream flow to dilute the salinity and therefore satisfy the domestic water supply.     

Wind-induced salt-wedge intrusion in the Tiber river mouth (Rome–Central Italy)

The wind effect on river water quality was illustrated by means of thermohaline measurements carried out in the Tiber River in May 2012. The survey was carried out using a boat, in stations located in the two Tiber branches: Fiumara Grande and Traiano Canal. Thermohaline variables (salinity and temperature) were used to describe the water-type patterns and to define the salt-wedge position. Although the river flow rate was rather high, saltwater intrusion happened. Wind data suggested that the more probable cause of salt-wedge intrusion was the wind action. Especially wind speeds higher than 4 m/s are able to dominate the sea current at surface layers, determining an increase in the sea level. Therefore, westerly winds determined a seawater inflow in the river mouths.     

Effect of Wind and Rainfall on Water Exchange in a Stratified Estuary

This study was conducted to estimate the horizontal and vertical exchange of water in response to meteorological effects in Inohana Lake, Japan. To examine the horizontal water flow between Hamana and Inohana Lakes while monitoring horizontal and vertical exchanges of water within the lake, we determined the current velocity, salinity, and water density in the field. We performed regression analysis of the relationship between meteorological factors such as wind and rain and the horizontal water flow between the two lakes. This information was then used to construct a simple box model to estimate the average water exchange and evaluate the meteorological effect based on the average salinity and river discharge. These results revealed that the surface water-volume flux in the channel was heavily influenced by the north–south wind intensity. These findings indicate that a box model is capable of providing a good estimate of the summer-averaged water flow and the exchange rate that is influenced by wind and rain.     

钱塘江河口一维盐度动床预报模型及应用

钱塘江河口为强涌潮、高含沙量、河床冲淤剧烈的河口,其盐度输移时空变化受河床冲淤的反馈影响十分显著。建立了考虑河床冲淤变化的一维盐度动床数学模型,耦合求解水沙运动、河床冲淤及盐度输移过程,数值计算方法采用守恒性较好的有限体积法。验证结果表明:河床冲淤对氯度的影响非常显著,动床模型的结果与实测基本吻合,在长历时盐度预报中采用动床模型是必要的。应用该模型分析了钱塘江河口咸水入侵对上游建库、治江缩窄工程等人类活动的响应,探讨了杭州城市供水水源保证率。结果表明,新安江水库、河口治理缩窄工程对改善河口淡水资源利用、保障杭州市供水安全显著;供水保证率要达95%以上,需采取上游水库泄水调度和新建备用水库等措施。     

千岛湖配水工程对钱塘江河口盐水入侵影响

杭州市第二水源千岛湖配水工程（简称配水工程）的实施将引起富春江水库下泄流量及过程改变,从而对钱塘江河口盐水入侵产生影响。建立考虑涌潮作用的二维盐度数值模型,在验证钱塘江河口潮位和盐度的基础上,预测配水工程实施对河口盐水入侵距离和重要取水口含氯度超标时间的影响。研究表明:配水工程实施后,上游富春江水库若按现状调度方案,对枯水年影响大,咸水上溯距离增加3.7 km,沿岸取水口的可取水时间缩短0.2~3.6 d,丰、平水年盐水入侵和引水前相当;通过水库的优化调度,可基本消除枯水年引水造成的盐水入侵影响。为减少配水工程实施的盐水入侵影响,采用水库的优化调度模式是必要的。     

钱塘江河口段盐水入侵的时空变化及预测模型

杭州城市供水85%取自钱塘江河口段,取水水质在枯水大潮期都不同程度地受到盐水入侵的威胁,分析钱塘江河口盐水入侵时空变化及研制二维数值预测模型对保障城市供水安全十分必要。根据钱塘江河口段实测水文氯度资料,分析了强潮作用下盐水入侵的时空变化特征;据此构建考虑斜压作用的二维水流、盐度输移的耦合数学模型,计算格式采用守恒性较好的有限体积法;在模型验证的基础上,数值分析了径流和潮汐对钱塘江河口段盐水入侵的影响,结果表明河口段的盐水入侵明显地受径流和潮汐的影响,据此可通过增大上游新安江水库的下泄流量抑制盐水入侵上溯以减小取水口氯度及超标时间,确保用水安全。     

Modeling diagnosis of suspended sediment transport in tidal estuarine system

A three-dimensional, time-dependent hydrodynamic and suspended sediment transport model was performed and applied to the Danshuei River estuarine system and adjacent coastal sea in northern Taiwan. The model was validated with observed time-series salinity in 2001, and with salinity and suspended sediment distributions in 2002. The predicted results quantitatively agreed with the measured data. A local turbidity maximum was found in the bottom water of the Kuan-Du station. The validated model then was conducted with no salinity gradient, no sediment supply from the sediment bed, wind stress, and different freshwater discharges from upstream boundaries to comprehend the influences on suspended sediment dynamics in the Danshuei River estuarine system. The results reveal that concentrations of the turbidity maximum simulated without salinity gradient are higher than those of the turbidity maximum simulated with salinity gradient at the Kuan-Du station. Without bottom resuspension process, the estuarine turbidity maximum zone at the Kuan-Du station vanishes. This suggests that bottom sediment resuspension is a very important sediment source to the formation of estuarine turbidity maximum. The wind stress with northeast and southwest directions may contribute to decrease the suspended sediment concentration. When the freshwater discharges increase at the upstream boundaries, the limits of salt intrusion pushes downriver toward river mouth. Suspended sediment concentrations increase at the upriver reaches in the Danshuei River to Tahan Stream, while decrease at Kuan-Du station.     

The Effects of Wind,Runoff and Tides on Salinity in a Strongly Tidal Sub-estuary

Measurements over an annual cycle of longitudinal and vertical salinity distributions in a small sub-estuary, the Tavy Estuary, UK, are used to illustrate the dependence of salt intrusion and stratification on environmental variables. The interpretations are aided by vertical profiling and near-bed data recorded in the main channel and on the mudflats. Generally, high water (HW) salt intrusion at the bed is close to the tidal limit and is dominated by runoff and winds, with decreasing salt intrusion associated with increasing runoff and increasing up-estuary winds (or vice versa). Tidal effects are not statistically significant because of two compensating processes: the long tidal excursion, which is comparable with the sub-estuary length for all but the smallest neap tides, and the enhanced, near-bed, buoyancy-driven salt transport that occurs at small neap tides close to the limit of saline intrusion. The effect of wind on HW surface salt intrusion in the main channel is not statistically significant, partly because it is obscured by the opposing local and estuary-wide effects of an up-estuary or down-estuary wind stress. These processes are investigated using a simple tidal model that incorporates lateral, channel–mudflat bathymetry and reproduces, approximately, observed channel and mudflat velocities. Surface salinity at HW increases with tidal range because of enhanced spring-tide vertical mixing—a process that also reduces salinity stratification. Stratification increases with runoff because of increased buoyancy inputs and decreases with up-estuary winds because of reduced near-bed salt intrusion. Stratification and plume formation are interpreted in terms of the bulk and estuarine Richardson Numbers, and processes at the confluence of the sub-estuary and main estuary are described.     

Effect of a broad shallow sill on tidal circulation and salt transport in the entrance to a coastal plain estuary (Mira—Vila Nova de Milfontes, Portugal)

We describe the tidal circulation and salinity regime of a coastal plain estuary that connects to the ocean through a flood tide delta. The delta acts as a sill, and we examine the mechanisms through which the sill affects exchange of estuarine water with the ocean. Given enough buoyancy, the dynamics of tidal intrusion fronts across the sill and selective withdrawal (aspiration) in the deeper channel landward appear to control the exchange of seawater with estuarine water. Comparison of currents on the sill and stratification in the channel reveals aspiration depths smaller than channel depth during neap tide. During neap tide and strong vertical stratification, seawater plunges beneath the less dense estuarine water somewhere on the sill. Turbulence in the intruding bottom layer on the sill promotes entrainment of fluid from the surface layer, and the seawater along the sill bottom is diluted with estuarine water. During ebb flow, salt is effectively trapped landward of the sill in a stagnant zone between the aspiration depth and the bottom where it can be advected farther upstream by flood currents. During spring tide, the plunge point moves landward and off the sill, stratification is weakened in the deep channel, and aspiration during ebb extends to the bottom. This prevents the formation of stagnant water near the bottom, and the estuary is flooded with high salinity water far inland. The neapspring cycle of tidal intrusion fronts on flood coupled with aspiration during ebb interacts with the sill to play an important role in the transport and retention of salt within the estuary.     

Toward a unified theory of tidally-averaged estuarine salinity structure

Equations are developed for the tidally-averaged, width-averaged estuarine salinity and circulation in a rectangular estuary. Width and depth may vary along the length of the channel, as may coefficients of vertical turbulent mixing and along channel diffusion. The system is reduced to a single first-order, nonlinear, ordinary differential equation governing the section-averaged salinity. A technique for specifying the ocean boundary condition is given, and solutions are found by numerical integration. Under different assumptions for the diffusion it is possible to reproduce the few existing analytical solutions, in particular the Hansen and Rattray (1965) Central Regime solution, and Chatwin's (1976) solution. The mathematical framework allows easy comparison of the results of different channel geometries and mixing coefficients. Of particular interest is the along-channel distribution of the diffusive fraction of up-estuary salt flux. It is shown that the Hansen and Rattray solution is always diffusion-dominated near the mouth. A theory is presented for estimating the diffusion coefficient within a tidal excursion of the mouth. It is shown that the resulting rapid along-channel increase of diffusion may explain some observed patterns of salinity structure: a decrease in both stratification and along-channel salinity gradient near the mouth. The theory is applied to the Delaware Estuary and Northern San Francisco Bay, and shows reasonable agreement with observed sensitivities of salt intrusion distance to river flow.     

Effect of saltwater intrusion on groundwater environment in Weihe River downstream,Shandong Province,China

Based on the geological and hydrogeological conditions along with dynamic changes of groundwater level, this paper analyzes the hydrodynamic characteristics of saltwater intrusion in the study area. According to monitoring data of groundwater quality, the distribution characteristics of macro component are analyzed, and then fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method is adopted to evaluate the impact of saltwater intrusion on groundwater environment. Concerning the influence degree of groundwater environment, the study area is divided into brine area, seriously influenced area, moderately influenced zone, slightly influenced zone and uninfluenced zone. The results can offer references for prevention and control of saltwater intrusion as well as the protection of water resources.     

Effect of saltwater intrusion on groundwater environment in Weihe River downstream,Shandong Province,China

Based on the geological and hydrogeological conditions along with dynamic changes of groundwater level,this paper analyzes the hydrodynamic characteristics of saltwater intrusion in the study area.According to monitoring data of groundwater quality,the distribution characteristics of macro component are analyzed,and then fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method is adopted to evaluate the impact of saltwater intrusion on groundwater environment.Concerning the influence degree of groundwater environment,the study area is divided into brine area,seriously influenced area,moderately influenced zone,slightly influenced zone and uninfluenced zone.The results can offer references for prevention and control of saltwater intrusion as well as the protection of water resources.     

Functional and Compositional Responses of Periphyton Mats to Simulated Saltwater Intrusion in the Southern Everglades

Periphyton plays key ecological roles in karstic, freshwater wetlands and is extremely sensitive to environmental change making it a powerful tool to detect saltwater intrusion into these vulnerable and valuable ecosystems. We conducted field mesocosm experiments in the Florida Everglades, USA to test the effects of saltwater intrusion on periphyton metabolism, nutrient content, and diatom species composition, and how these responses differ between mats from a freshwater versus a brackish marsh. Pulsed saltwater intrusion was simulated by dosing treatment chambers monthly with a brine solution for 15 months; control chambers were simultaneously dosed with site water. Periphyton from the freshwater marsh responded to a 1-ppt increase in surface water salinity with reduced productivity and decreased concentrations of total carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus. These functional responses were accompanied by significant shifts in periphytic diatom assemblages. Periphyton mats at the brackish marsh were more functionally resilient to the saltwater treatment (~?2 ppt above ambient), but nonetheless experienced significant shifts in diatom composition. These findings suggest that freshwater periphyton is negatively affected by small, short-term increases in salinity and that periphytic diatom assemblages, particularly at the brackish marsh, are a better metric of salinity increases compared with periphyton functional metrics due to functional redundancy. This research provides new and valuable information regarding periphyton dynamics in response to changing water sources in the southern Everglades that will allow us to extend the use of periphyton, and their diatom assemblages, as tools for environmental assessments related to saltwater intrusion.     

Modeling of the Cape Fear River Estuary plume

The Environmental Fluid Dynamic Code, an estuarine and coastal ocean circulation model, is used to simulate the distribution of the salinity plume in the vicinity of the mouth of the Cape Fear River Estuary, North Carolina. The individual and coupled effects of the astronomical tides, river discharge, and atmospheric winds on the spatial and temporal distributions of coastal water levels and the salinity plume were investigated. These modeled effects were compared with water level observations made by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and salinity surveys conducted by the Coastal Ocean Research and Monitoring Program. Model results and observations of salinity distributions and coastal water level showed good agreement. The simulations indicate that strong winds tend to reduce the surface plume size and distort the bulge shape near the estuary mouth due to enhanced wind-induced surface mixing. Under normal discharge conditions, tides, and light winds, the southward outwelling plume veers west. Relatively moderate winds can mechanically reverse the flow direction of the plume. Under conditions of weak to moderate winds the water column does not mix vertically to the bottom, while in strong wind cases the plume becomes vertically well mixed. Under conditions of high river discharge the plume increases in size and reaches the bottom. Vertical mixing induced by strong spring tides can also enable the plume to reach the bottom.     

Role of Late Winter–Spring Wind Influencing Summer Hypoxia in Chesapeake Bay

We examined the processes influencing summer hypoxia in the mainstem portion of Chesapeake Bay. The analysis was based on the Chesapeake Bay Monitoring Program data collected between 1985 and 2007. Self-organizing map (SOM) analysis indicates that bottom water dissolved oxygen (DO) starts to be depleted in the upper mesohaline area during late spring, and hypoxia expands down-estuary by early summer. The seasonal hypoxia in the bay appears to be related to multiple variables, (e.g., river discharge, nutrient loading, stratification, phytoplankton biomass, and wind condition), but most of them are intercorrelated. The winter–spring Susquehanna River flow contributes to not only spring–summer buoyancy effects on estuarine circulation dynamics but also nutrient loading from the land-promoting phytoplankton growth. In addition, we found that summer hypoxia is significantly correlated with the late winter–spring (February–April) northeasterly–southwesterly (NE–SW) wind. Based on winter–spring (January–May) conditions, a predictive tool was developed to forecast summer (June–August) hypoxia using river discharge and NE–SW wind. We hypothesized that the late winter–spring wind pattern may affect the transport of spring bloom biomass to the western shoal or the deep channel of the bay that either alleviates or increases the summer hypoxic volume in the midbay region, respectively. To examine this hypothesis, residual flow fields were analyzed using a hydrodynamic ocean model (Regional Ocean Modeling System; ROMS) between 2000 and 2003, two hydrologically similar years but years with different wind conditions during the spring bloom period. Simulation model results suggest that relatively larger amounts of organic matter could be transported into the deep channel in 2003 (severe hypoxia; frequent northeasterly wind) than 2000 (moderate hypoxia; frequent southwesterly wind).     

珠江口磨刀门枯季水文特征及河口动力过程

根据磨刀门2003年12月9~15日的大、中潮同步水文观测资料,分析了磨刀门枯季的潮汐、潮流、余流、悬移质含沙量、盐度等水文特征,并对枯季河口动力过程,如咸淡水混合、河口射流等进行了初步研究。在枯季由于径流较弱,潮流成为主要动力。表层由于受径流和风的影响余流基本上沿河道走向向下游,中层以下有稳定的向上的余流存在。枯季磨刀门含沙量较小(<1 kg/m3),盐度在平面上和垂向上均有一定变化。磨刀门枯季咸淡水混合类型为缓混合型,各站盐度分层参数均在0.01~1.0。从实测流速的分布情况来看,河口下层有反向的水流,存在明显的因密度差而形成的密度环流。根据枯季实测资料计算所得的密度弗劳德数,磨刀门枯季以浮力射流为主。     

磨刀门水道咸潮入侵及其变异分析

随着区域经济及人口的进一步增长,珠江三角洲磨刀门水道已成为江门、中山、珠海、澳门等城市重要的水源地,相应咸潮入侵对供水安全造成的危害也越来越严重。本文依据实测资料和现场调研,对磨刀门水道咸潮入侵的潮相变化、径流—咸潮的响应模式、风对咸潮入侵的影响及咸潮入侵的历史演变趋势及其变异、最小压咸流量及最佳压咸时机等进行了研究。研究结果表明,影响咸潮入侵的主要因素是径流,有利于咸潮入侵的风向为北风～东北风。以思贤滘流量(即马口水文站与三水水文站流量之和)为参照,为保障珠海、澳门供水安全,磨刀门水道最小压咸流量范围为2200-2700m3/s,平均流量为2450m3/s,最佳压咸补淡的时机为大潮转小潮期,也就是朔望(半月)周期的落潮期。     

The potential impact of herbivores on the susceptibility of the marsh plantSagittaria lancifolia to saltwater intrusion in coastal wetlands

The objective of this study was to experimentally evaluate the effects of simulated herbivory on the ability of a freshwater marsh plant to recover from temporary saltwater intrusion such as can be caused by tropical storms. Sods containingSagittaria lancifolia, a dominant plant in interior coastal marshes, were manipulated in the field so as to subject plants to a pulse of 15‰ salt water for a duration of 1 wk. In addition to the exposure to salt water, some plants were also subjected to both short-term and long-term flooding treatments of 20 cm, and to simulated herbivory (clipping). Following exposure to salt water, plants were allowed to recover over the winter and were harvested the next June. Neither simulated herbivory, nor salinity, nor flooding caused any long-term effect either singly or in pairwise combinations. However, when plants were subjected to herbivory, salt water, and flooding simultaneously, reduced growth and plant death occurred. These results suggest that high levels of grazing by herbivores may increase the susceptibility of coastal marsh plants to damage from saltwater intrusion. *** DIRECT SUPPORT *** A01BY073 00002