Articles | Volume 8, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-955-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-955-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
16 Nov 2020
Research article |
| 16 Nov 2020
| 16 Nov 2020
Complementing scale experiments of rivers and estuaries with numerically modelled hydrodynamics
Steven A. H. Weisscher
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Princetonlaan 8A, 3584 CB Utrecht, the Netherlands
Marcio Boechat-Albernaz
Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Princetonlaan 8A, 3584 CB Utrecht, the Netherlands
Jasper R. F. W. Leuven
Royal HaskoningDHV, Rivers & Coasts – Water, P.O. Box 151, 6500 AD Nijmegen, the Netherlands
Department of Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University, 6708 PB Wageningen, the Netherlands
Wout M. Van Dijk
Arcadis, Rivers & Coasts, P.O. Box 220, 3800 AE Amersfoort, the Netherlands
Yasuyuki Shimizu
Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, North 13, West 8, Kitaku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 080-8628, Japan
Maarten G. Kleinhans
Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Princetonlaan 8A, 3584 CB Utrecht, the Netherlands
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Floodplain formation in estuaries limit the ebb and flood flow, reducing channel migration and shortening the tidally influenced reach. Vegetation establishment on bars reduces local flow velocity and concentrates flow into channels, while mudflats fill accommodation space and reduce channel migration. These results are based on experimental estuaries in the Metronome facility supported by numerical flow modelling.
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Mid-channel bars in estuaries are important habitats and bird foraging areas. We measured current velocities on and along the tidal flat of an estuarine mid-channel bar. Our analysis shows that the intertidal currents have a much more three-dimensional pattern than those on shore-connected tidal flats. Existing models for tidal flats underestimate flow velocities on the mid-channel bar, which has consequences for sediment transport and morphodynamics.
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This study examined how vegetation growing in marshes affects the formation of tidal channel networks. Experiments were conducted to imitate marsh development, both with and without vegetation. The results show interdependency between biotic and abiotic factors in channel development. They mainly play a role when the landscape changes from bare to vegetated. Overall, the study suggests that abiotic factors are more important near the sea, while vegetation plays a larger role closer to the land.
Maarten G. Kleinhans, Lonneke Roelofs, Steven A. H. Weisscher, Ivar R. Lokhorst, and Lisanne Braat
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Floodplain formation in estuaries limit the ebb and flood flow, reducing channel migration and shortening the tidally influenced reach. Vegetation establishment on bars reduces local flow velocity and concentrates flow into channels, while mudflats fill accommodation space and reduce channel migration. These results are based on experimental estuaries in the Metronome facility supported by numerical flow modelling.
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Short summary
Accurate and continuous data collection is challenging in physical scale experiments. A novel means to augment measurements is to numerically model flow over the experimental digital elevation maps. We tested this modelling approach for one tidal and two river scale experiments and showed that modelled water depth and flow velocity closely resemble the measurements. The implication is that conducting experiments requires fewer measurements and results in flow data of better overall quality.
Accurate and continuous data collection is challenging in physical scale experiments. A novel...
