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Modeling of Hydrodynamics and Cohesive Sediment Processes in an Estuarine System: Study Case in Danshui River

Environmental Modeling & Assessment volume 15, pages 261–271 (2010)Cite this article

Abstract

The Danshui River estuarine system is the largest estuarine system in northern Taiwan and is formed by the confluence of Tahan Stream, Hsintien Stream, and Keelung River. A comprehensive one-dimensional (1-D) model was used to model the hydrodynamics and cohesive sediment transport in this branched river estuarine system. The applied unsteady model uses advection/dispersion equation to model the cohesive sediment transport. The erosion and deposition processes are modeled as source/sink terms. The equations are solved numerically using an implicit finite difference scheme. Water surface elevation and longitudinal velocity time series were used to calibrate and verify the hydrodynamics of the system. To calibrate and verify the mixing process, the salinity time series was used and the dispersion coefficient of the advection/dispersion equation was determined. The cohesive sediment module was calibrated by comparing the simulated and field measured sediment concentration data and the erosion coefficient of the system was determined. A minimum mean absolute error of 4.22 mg/L was obtained and the snapshots of model results and field measurements showed a reasonable agreement. Our modeling showed that a 1-D model is capable of simulating the hydrodynamics and sediment processes in this estuary and the sediment concentration has a local maximum at the limit of salinity intrusion. Furthermore, it was indicated that for Q 50 (the flow which is equaled or exceeded 50% times), the turbidity maximum location during neap tide is about 1 km closer to the mouth compared to that during spring tide. It was found that deposition is the dominant sediment transport process in the river during spring–neap periods. It was shown that, while sediment concentration at the upstream depends on the river discharge, the concentration in the downstream is not a function of river discharge.

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Acknowledgment

The measured data were mostly provided by the Taiwan Water Resources Agency. The authors also express their special appreciation to Abbas Dorostkar and Hengameh Moshfeghi, whose comments and assistance led to substantial improvement of this paper. We also thank Neil B. Fazel for editing the manuscript. This work was partly supported by the Deputy of Research, Iran University of Science and Technology and the first author was a recipient of a Gledden Senior Visitor Fellowship from UWA, Australia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Civil Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 16765-163, Tehran, Iran

    Amir Etemad-Shahidi & Arash Shahkolahi

  2. Department of Civil and Disaster Prevention Engineering, National United University, Miaoli, 36003, Taiwan

    Wen-Cheng Liu

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  1. Amir Etemad-Shahidi
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  2. Arash Shahkolahi
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  3. Wen-Cheng Liu
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Correspondence to Amir Etemad-Shahidi.

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Etemad-Shahidi, A., Shahkolahi, A. & Liu, WC. Modeling of Hydrodynamics and Cohesive Sediment Processes in an Estuarine System: Study Case in Danshui River. Environ Model Assess 15, 261–271 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10666-009-9203-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10666-009-9203-9

Keywords

  • Numerical simulation
  • Danshui River
  • MIKE 11
  • Estuarine hydrodynamic
  • Sediment transport