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Abstract. We investigate here the effects of geometric properties (channel depth andcross-sectional convergence length), storm surge characteristics, friction,and river flow on the spatial and temporal variability of compound floodingalong an idealized, meso-tidal coastal-plain estuary. An analytical model isdeveloped that includes exponentially convergent geometry, tidal forcing,constant river flow, and a representation of storm surge as a combination oftwo sinusoidal waves. Nonlinear bed friction is treated using Chebyshevpolynomials and trigonometric functions, and a multi-segment approach isused to increase accuracy. Model results show that river discharge increasesthe damping of surge amplitudes in an estuary, while increasing channeldepth has the opposite effect. Sensitivity studies indicate that the impactof river flow on peak water level decreases as channel depth increases,while the influence of tide and surge increases in the landward portion ofan estuary. Moreover, model results show less surge damping in deeperconfigurations and even amplification in some cases, while increasedconvergence length scale increases damping of surge waves with periods of 12–72 h. For every modeled scenario, there is a point where river dischargeeffects on water level outweigh tide/surge effects. As a channel isdeepened, this cross-over point moves progressively upstream. Thus, channeldeepening may alter flood risk spatially along an estuary and reduce thelength of a river estuary, within which fluvial flooding is dominant.
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Tide‐Storm Surge Interactions in Highly Altered Estuaries: How Channel Deepening Increases Surge Vulnerability
Abstract We develop idealized analytical and numerical models to study how storm surge amplitudes vary within frictional, weakly convergent, nonreflective estuaries. Friction is treated using Chebyshev polynomials. Storm surge is represented as the sum of two sinusoidal components, and a third constituent represents the semidiurnal tide (D2). An empirical fit of storm surge shows that two sinusoidal components adequately represent storm surge above a baseline value (R2 = 0.97). We find that the spatial transformation of surge amplitudes depends on the depth of the estuary, and characteristics of the surge wave including time scale, amplitude, asymmetry, and surge‐tide relative phase. Analytical model results indicate that surge amplitude decays more slowly (largere‐folding) in a deeper channel for all surge time scales (12–72 hr). Deepening of an estuary results in larger surge amplitudes. Sensitivity studies show that surges with larger primary amplitudes (or shorter time scales) damp faster than those with smaller amplitudes (or larger time scales). Moreover, results imply that there is a location with maximum sensitivity to altered depth, offshore surge amplitude, and time scale and that the location of observed maximum change in surge amplitude along an estuary of simple form moves upstream when depth is increased. Further, the relative phase of surge to tide and surge asymmetry can change the spatial location of maximum change in surge. The largest change due to increased depth occurs for a large surge with a short time scale. The results suggest that both sea level rise and channel deepening may also alter surge amplitudes.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2013280
- PAR ID:
- 10457506
- Publisher / Repository:
- DOI PREFIX: 10.1029
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans
- Volume:
- 125
- Issue:
- 4
- ISSN:
- 2169-9275
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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