Seasonal cycling of estuarine sediment and contaminant transport

Abstract

The seasonal cycling of fine sediment in the upper reaches of a hypothetical macrotidal estuary and its possible consequences for the behaviour of a contaminant which partitions between dissolved and particulate forms are investigated theoretically. The simplest one-dimensional models are used as a starting point for future studies: (a) a within-tide hydrodynamic (tidal) model, (b) an associated sediment transport model and (c) a tidally-averaged contaminant dispersal model. The calculations are made for a four-year period and show that a cyclic migration of mobile sediment occurs in the upper reaches of the estuary. Sediment accumulates during spring to late summer, and is redistributed in the lower estuary during high runoff periods (autumn and winter). For a fluvial input of contaminant, the dissolved contaminant levels during summer are greatly depressed below conservative mixing values in the upper (turbidity maximum) region, whereas they are slightly enhanced in the lower reaches. During winter, the levels are substantially greater than conservative values except for a slight depression at very low salinities. Thus, sediment here acts as a source of contaminant for most of the salinity range. For a marine input of contaminant, levels are enhanced above the conservative mixing line at low salinities throughout the year, the effect being much larger during summer.