Journal of Tropical Oceanography ›› 2016, Vol. 35 ›› Issue (2): 10-18.doi: 10.11978/2015034CSTR: 32234.14.2015034

• Marine Hydrography • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Three-dimensional numerical simulation of saltwater intrusion into the Humen estuary based on FVCOM

LIU Zufa1, 2, GUAN Shuai1, 2, ZHANG Ganhao1, 2, DING Bo1, 2, LIN Yingyan1, 2, ZHA Xini1, 2   

  1. 1. Center for Water Resources and Environment, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China; 2. Key Laboratory of Water Cycle and Water Security in Southern China of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Guangzhou 510275, China
  • Received:2015-03-05 Revised:2015-08-11 Online:2016-02-29 Published:2016-02-29
  • Supported by:
    The National Natural Science Foundation of China (41301627)

Abstract: An unstructured grid finite-volume coastal ocean model (FVCOM) was applied to simulate the saltwater intrusion from Lingdingyang into the Humen estuary. Measurements of water level and salinity at multiple stations obtained in February 2001 were used for model calibration and verification, aiming at the hydrodynamic characteristics and spatiotemporal variation of salinity. The results showed that 1) the correlation coefficients between the predicted and measured water level exceeded 0.93 with a mean absolute bias less than 0.1 m, while the relative error of the simulated salinity was within 10%; 2) at Station Dahu, the flow direction in the surface layer was consistent with that in the bottom layer most of the time, but there was apparent salinity gradient in the vertical. However, for Station Zhangpeng, opposite flow directions between the surface and bottom layers occurred repeatedly while the salinity was more uniform vertically; and 3) the maximum distance of saltwater intrusion was well simulated. The intrusion distance as well as the strength at spring tide was greater than that at neap tide in the Humen estuary, and saltwater wedge movement was significantly affected by the tidal strength.

Key words: saltwater intrusion, numerical simulation, finite-volume coastal ocean model (FVCOM), Humen