Abstract
A tidal bore impacts significantly on the estuarine ecosystem, although little is known on the flow field, mixing and sediment motion beneath tidal bores. In the absence of detailed systematic field measurements, a quasi-steady flow analogy was applied to investigate undular tidal bores with inflow Froude numbers between 1.25 and 1.6. Experimental results indicated that rapid flow redistributions occur beneath the free-surface undulations, with significant variations in bed shear stress between wave crests and troughs. Dynamic similarity was used to predict detailed flow characteristics of undular tidal bores. The effects of periodic loading on river sediments, scour of river bed and flow mixing behind the bore are discussed. A better understanding of these processes will contribute to better management practices in tidal bore affected rivers, including the Styx and Daly rivers in tropical Australia.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bartsch-Winkler, S. and Lynch, D.K.: 1988, Catalog of worldwide tidal bore occurrences and characteristics, US Geological Survey Circular, No. 1022, 17 p.
Bazin, H.: 1865, Recherches Expérimentales sur la Propagation des Ondes, (‘Experimental Research on Wave Propagation.’) Mémoires présentés par divers savants à l’Académie des Sciences, Paris, France, Vol. 19, pp. 495–644 (in French).
H. Chanson (2000) ArticleTitleBoundary shear stress measurements in undular flows: application to standing wave bed forms Water Resource Res. 36 IssueID10 3063 Occurrence Handle10.1029/2000WR900154
Chanson, H.: 2001, Flow field in a tidal bore: a physical model, Proceedings 29th IAHR Congress, Beijing, China, Theme E, Tsinghua University Press, Beijing, G. LI Ed., pp. 365–373. (CD-ROM, Tsinghua University Press.)
Chanson, H.: 2003, Mixing and dispersion in tidal bores. a Review, Proceedings of International Conference on Estuaries & Coasts ICEC-2003, Hangzhou, China, Nov. 8–11, International Research & Training Center on Erosion & Sedimentation Edition, Vol. 2, pp. 763–769.
H. Chanson (2004a) The Hydraulics of Open Channel Flows: An Introduction EditionNumber2 Butterworth-Heinemann Oxford UK 630
H. Chanson (2004b) Environmental Hydraulics of Open Channel Flows Elsevier-Butterworth-Heinemann Oxford UK 483
H. Chanson J.S. Montes (1995) ArticleTitleCharacteristics of undular hydraulic jumps. Experimental apparatus and flow patterns J. Hyd. Eng., ASCE 121 IssueID2 129–144
J. Chen C. Liu C. Zhang H.J. Walker (1990) ArticleTitleGeomorphological development and sedimentation in Qiantang estuary and Hangzhou Bay J. Coastal. Res. 6 IssueID3 559
Chen, S.: 2003, Tidal bore in the north branch of the Changjiang Estuary. Proceedings of International Conference on Estuaries & Coasts ICEC-2003, Hangzhou, China, November 8–11, International Research & Training Center on Erosion & Sedimentation Edition, Vol. 1, pp. 233–239.
Cousteau, J.Y. and Richards, M.: 1984, Jacques Cousteau’s Amazon Journey, The Cousteau Society, Paris, France. (also RD Press, Australia, 1985.)
C. Davies (1988) Tidal river bores Department of Geography, Edge Hill College, University of Lancaster UK
De Wit P.J.: 1995. Liquefaction of Cohesive Sediments caused by Waves. Ph.D. thesis, Department of Civil Engineering, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands, 194 p. (Also Communications on Hydraulic and Geotechnical Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering, Delft University of Technology, 1995, Vol. 95, No. 2, Report 95–2.)
L. Dormieux J.L. Auriault O. Coussy (1993) ArticleTitlePore pressures generation in a seabed subjected to wave loading Eur. J. of Mechanics A/Solids 12 IssueID6 773–801
F.M. Henderson (1966) Open Channel Flow MacMillan Company New York, USA
Jones, E.: 2003, Personal Communication, 26 March 2003.
B. Kjerfve H.O. Ferreira (1993) ArticleTitleTidal bores: first ever measurements Ciência e Cultura (Journal of the Brazilian Association for the Advancement of Science) 45 IssueID2 135–138
D.K. Lynch (1982) ArticleTitleTidal Bores Scientific American 247 IssueID4 134–143
Molchan-Douthit, M.: 1998, Alaska bore tales, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Anchorage, USA, revised, 2 p.
Montes, J.S.: 1986, A study of the undular jump profile, Proceeding 9th Australasian Fluid Mechanics Conference AFMC, Auckland, New Zealand, pp. 148–151.
M.P. O’Reilly S.F. Brown R.F. Overy (1991) ArticleTitleCyclic loading of silty clay with drainage periods J. Geotechnical Eng. 117 IssueID2 354–362
V.C. Patel (1965) ArticleTitleCalibration of the preston tube and limitations on its use in pressure gradients J. of Fluid Mech. 23 185–208
J.H. Preston (1954) ArticleTitleThe determination of turbulent skin friction by means of pitot tubes J. Roy. Aeronaut. Soc., London 58 109–121
H. Rouse (1938) Fluid Mechanics for Hydraulic Engineers McGraw-Hill Publisher New York
H. Rouse (1946) Elementary Mechanics of Fluids John Wiley & Sons New York USA 376
H. Rouse (1959) Advanced Mechanics of Fluids John Wiley New York, USA 444
R.A. Rulifson K.A. Tull (1999) ArticleTitleStriped bass spawning in a tidal bore river : the shubenacadie estuary, Atlantic Canada Trans. American Fisheries Soc. 128 613–624
H. Schlichting (1979) Boundary Layer Theory EditionNumber7 McGraw-Hill New York, USA
B. Tessier J.H.J. Terwindt (1994) ArticleTitleAn example of soft-sediment deformations in an intertidal environment - the effect of a tidal bore Comptes-Rendus de l’Académie des Sciences, Série II 319 IssueID2 217–233
R.A.R. Tricker (1965) Bores, Breakers, Waves and Wakes American Elsevier Publisher Co. New York, USA
A.T. Troskolanski (1960) Hydrometry : Theory and Practice of Hydraulic Measurements Pergamon Press Oxford, UK 684
C. Witts (1999) The Mighty Severn Bore Rivern Severn Publications Gloucester UK 84
E. Wolanski D. Williams S. Spagnola H. Chanson (2004) ArticleTitleUndular tidal bore dynamics in the daly estuary, Northern Australia Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Sci. 60 IssueID4 629–636
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Donnelly, C., Chanson, H. Environmental Impact of Undular Tidal Bores in Tropical Rivers. Environ Fluid Mech 5, 481–494 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10652-005-0711-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10652-005-0711-0