Effects of Coastline Changes on Tide System of Yellow Sea off Jiangsu Coast, China

On the basis of historical documents, this paper studies the evolutionary processes of the Jiangsu coast and re-establishes the positions of the shoreline in different periods. The East China Sea and the Yellow Sea mathematical models are applied to simulate and analyze the large-scale tidal waves changes under the influence of the coastal change in Jiangsu since 1855 when the Yellow River changed its lower course into the Bohai Sea. Results from this study can be summarized in the following aspects: (1) the coastline change strongly affects tidal waves in the region. Generally, the tidal amplitude decreases when the coastline changes in the north coast of the abandoned Yellow River Delta, whilst increases in the south of this region. The maximum variation of tidal amplitude takes place near the Radial Sandbank. (2) Following the erosion of the abandoned Yellow River Delta in the past century, the non-tidal points of M2 and K1 partial tides move to southwest gradually. (3) In the early 20th century, with the coastline changed, tidal range decreased 30~60 cm. From the abandoned Yellow River mouth to the Lvsi Port, the maximum increase of tidal range can exceed almost 150 cm. From the early 20th century to the early 21th century, the tidal range increases by 20~50 cm outside the radial sandbank. Whereas, the tidal range reduced near the abandoned Yellow River by 30~50 cm.