Journal of Tropical Oceanography ›› 2021, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (5): 1-9.doi: 10.11978/2020127CSTR: 32234.14.2020127

• Marine Hydrology •     Next Articles

Impact of estuarine storm surge barriers on spatiotemporal variation of tidal asymmetry in a delta*

SHEN Qianying1,3,4(), JI Xiaomei1,2, ZHANG Wei1(), XU Yanwen1   

  1. 1. Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Coast Ocean Resources Development and Environment Security, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
    2. Key Laboratory of Port, Waterway & Sedimentation Engineering, Ministry of Communications, Nanjing 210029, China
    3. Engineering Research Center of the Education Ministry of dredging Technology, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
    4. Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Coastal Zones, Shanghai 200061, China
  • Received:2020-11-02 Revised:2021-01-12 Online:2021-09-10 Published:2021-01-19
  • Contact: ZHANG Wei E-mail:191303020011@hhu.edu.cn;w.zhang@hhu.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    Open foundation of Key Laboratory of Port, Waterway & Sedimentation Engineering(Yk220001-5);National Natural Science Foundation of China(42006155);National Natural Science Foundation of China(42006157);Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(B210202026);Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(B200204036);Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(B200202053);Belt and Road Special Foundation of the State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering(2020492111)

Abstract:

Tidal asymmetry in a delta has a vital relationship with the evolution direction of the delta geomorphology. Many studies focus on the evolution of tidal asymmetry in a delta in response to the changes of seaward and landward boundaries. Large-scale estuary projects also affect tidal asymmetry in a delta. Numerous estuary works show that storm surge barriers directly weaken the ocean tidal power on the inlet. The Rhine-Meuse Delta of the Netherlands is a tidal-driven delta, subject to flood disasters. The world-famous delta project was built in the southwest of the Netherlands. We take it as the research target, and analyze the influence of storm surge barriers on the evolution of tidal asymmetry in the delta networks. In this paper, we apply a nonstationary harmonic model to 50 ~ 60 years of hydrological data from 13 stations in the Rhine-Meuse Delta to analyze the characteristics of tidal propagation and tidal duration asymmetry and the influence of the storm surge barrier. Analytical results show that the Rhine-Meuse Delta is flood-dominant, and tidal duration asymmetry gradually increases upstream. Under the impact of suddenly changed river discharges and tidal dynamics after the construction of the storm surge barrier, the tidal powers in the enclosed southern branches were greatly weakened, and tidal asymmetry increased in the downstream and weakened in the upstream. In the other channels of the northern and central branches, the tidal asymmetry increased due to the increase of river discharges, more significantly in the central sites.

Key words: Tidal asymmetry, Storm surge barrier, Network, Nonstationary harmonic analysis, Delta

CLC Number: 

  • P731.2