Sensitivity of tidal hydrodynamics to varying bathymetric configurations in a multi-inlet rapidly eroding salt marsh system: A numerical study

Author(s)Deb, Mithun
Author(s)Abdolali, Ali
Author(s)Kirby, James T.
Author(s)Shi, Fengyan
Author(s)Guiteras, Susan
Author(s)McDowell, Conor
Date Accessioned2022-03-09T18:57:26Z
Date Available2022-03-09T18:57:26Z
Publication Date2021-12-22
DescriptionThis is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Deb, M., Abdolali, A., Kirby, J.T., Shi, F., Guiteras, S. & McDowell, C. (2022) Sensitivity of tidal hydrodynamics to varying bathymetric configurations in a multi-inlet rapidly eroding salt marsh system: A numerical study. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 1– 26. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.5308, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.5308. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions. This article may not be enhanced, enriched or otherwise transformed into a derivative work, without express permission from Wiley or by statutory rights under applicable legislation. Copyright notices must not be removed, obscured or modified. The article must be linked to Wiley’s version of record on Wiley Online Library and any embedding, framing or otherwise making available the article or pages thereof by third parties from platforms, services and websites other than Wiley Online Library must be prohibited.en_US
AbstractWe describe the development of a high-resolution, two-dimensional hydrodynamic model for a multi-inlet rapidly eroding tidal wetland on the western shore of Delaware Bay, using the finite-volume, primitive equation community ocean model (FVCOM). Topo-bathymetric surveys, together with water surface and current velocity measurements during calm and stormy conditions, have been conducted to support model validation. The tested model is then used to quantify the tide-induced residual transport and asymmetry at major inlet entrances to determine the governing hydrodynamics. We chose a skewness method to calculate the tidal asymmetry and serve as a proxy for sediment transport estimates. The effects of the dredging of an artificial entrance channel and progressive channel deepening in shifting wetland hydrodynamics are shown by developing a scenario analysis. Model results show that the artificially dredged channel has altered the volume exchange at other inlet entrances and increased the net seaward export. The changes in the characteristic frequency of the frictional dissipation in the channel and the system's natural frequency are investigated using a simple ocean–inlet–bay analytical model. Subsequently, we have compared the channel friction scale to the inertia scale and observed that the new connection and gradual channel deepening reduce the overall frictional dominance. Ultimately, the study has shown how the short- and long-term channel bathymetry changes, mainly the artificially dredged channel and progressive channel deepening, can affect the connected system's net circulation and trigger internal marsh erosion.en_US
SponsorThis work has been supported by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the US Department of the Interior under Grant No. 43752 to the University of Delaware, and by Delaware Sea Grant program awards R/HCE-22 and RRCE-12. The authors acknowledge Christopher Sommerfield for providing the channel bathymetry datasets, Andre Rodrigues and Tobias Kukulka for large-scale ROMS simulation outputs, and Dan Stotts, Laura Mitchell and Curtis George from the US Fish and Wildlife Service for their great help and contribution during field campaigns. Also, we would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments, which significantly improved the content of this paper. The findings and conclusions in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation or the US Fish and Wildlife Service. This research was also supported in part through the use of information technologies resources at the University of Delaware, specifically the high-performance computing resources.en_US
CitationDeb, M., Abdolali, A., Kirby, J.T., Shi, F., Guiteras, S. & McDowell, C. (2022) Sensitivity of tidal hydrodynamics to varying bathymetric configurations in a multi-inlet rapidly eroding salt marsh system: A numerical study. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 1– 26. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.5308en_US
ISSN1096-9837
URLhttps://udspace.udel.edu/handle/19716/30639
Languageen_USen_US
PublisherEarth Surface Processes and Landformsen_US
Keywordscoastal wetlandsen_US
Keywordssalt marsh erosionen_US
Keywordstidal hydrodynamicsen_US
Keywordsnumerical modelingen_US
Keywordschannel morphologyen_US
KeywordsWetland inlet asymmetryen_US
TitleSensitivity of tidal hydrodynamics to varying bathymetric configurations in a multi-inlet rapidly eroding salt marsh system: A numerical studyen_US
TypeArticleen_US
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