Dispersion of salt and suspended sediment in a partly mixed estuary

Observations are presented of the transverse and vertical structure of residual water, salt and sediment transport in the upper reaches of a partly mixed estuary. Measurements were made over spring and neap tidal cycles at three sections. The residual transport for each variable exhibited a characteristic transverse structure. This structure is interpreted in terms of fundamental physical processes. The results are used to estimate the relative importance of transverse shear, vertical shear and tidal pumping to the axial dispersion of salt and sediment.