Shear Stress, Turbulence Production and Dissipation in Small Tidal Channels Intersecting a Tidal Flat

Abstract:

A 16-day field experiment was conducted in March and April 2013 in a tidal wetland in Kent County, Delaware. The study area was a tidal flat fed by a second-order channel that flows into the Brockonbridge Gut, a small tributary of Delaware Bay. The goal of the field study was to investigate spatio-temporal variability in the hydrodynamics of the tidal flat and the small channels that intersect it, over the period of one spring-neap tidal cycle. The experiment combined remotely-sensed imagery with high-frequency in-situ measurements. A tower with imagers (RGB, NIR, TIR) was deployed to quantify the spatial variations of inundation of the channels, flat and marsh. In-situ sensors that measure flow velocity, sediment concentration and water depth were deployed at six locations on the tidal flat and in the channels. At three locations, a Nortek Vectrino II – profiling velocimeter was deployed that measures a 30 mm velocity profile at 1 mm vertical increments at 100 Hz. These velocity profiles are used to compute turbulent kinetic energy, turbulence dissipation and stress profiles close to the bed. Results show that peak velocities in the channels occur at the beginning and end of ebbing tide, when the water level is below the tidal flat level. At these instances, peaks in turbulence and bed stress also occur. The flow velocity and turbulence peaks are smaller when the water level does not fall below the tidal flat level. On the tidal flat, the flow velocities and turbulence are generally small compared to the intersecting tidal channel. Maximum flow velocities in the channels are around 0.4 m/s, while on the flat maximum velocities are under 0.1 m/s. A comparison is made between turbulence production and dissipation in both the channel and on the tidal flat to determine if advection and diffusion are important in this environment. In addition, the hydrodynamics at several locations in the channel are compared to investigate changes throughout the study area.