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Turbidity in the Thames Estuary: How turbid do we expect it to be?

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Abstract

A previously derived method (the tidal length—mean spring tidal range, TL-MSTR diagram) is used to predict the estuarine turbidity maximum (ETM) concentration and the residence time of the Thames Estuary. The predicted and observed residence time is 2 months. The predicted, depth-averaged ETM is 2.5 g l−1 of suspended particulate matter (SPM) at spring tides, which is much higher than that observed from surface sampling (<0.5 g l−1) and that simulated by recent models (approx. 0.6 g l−1), but is consistent with spring-tide concentrations measured throughout the water column over a tidal cycle. The observed locations of the surface 1-isohaline and 5-isohaline exhibit strong relationships with the logarithm of freshwater runoff. The observed ETM exhibits statistically significant relationships both with tidal range and the logarithm of runoff, and is generally located between the Millennium Dome and the Woolwich Reach. The apparent over-prediction of SPM afforded by the TL-MSTR diagram is unsurprising considering the removal of fine sediment by dredging and the removal of fine-sediment storage areas by embanking.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to CEFAS for making the Thames survey data available to us. This study was undertaken as part of the PML’s Core Strategic Research Programme contribution to Ocean2025, which is supported by funding from the UK’s Natural Environment Research Council.

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  1. Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, Plymouth, PL1 3DH, UK

    R. J. Uncles

  2. School of Civil Engineering and Surveying, University of Portsmouth, Portland Building, Portsmouth, PO1 3AH, UK

    S. B. Mitchell

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  1. R. J. Uncles
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  2. S. B. Mitchell
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Correspondence to R. J. Uncles.

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Guest editors: R. J. Uncles & S. B. Mitchell / The Thames Estuary and Estuaries of South East England

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Uncles, R.J., Mitchell, S.B. Turbidity in the Thames Estuary: How turbid do we expect it to be?. Hydrobiologia 672, 91–103 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-011-0757-6

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