The impact of wind-waves and sea level rise on the morphodynamics of a sandy estuarine shoal

Intertidal shoals are pronounced morphological features found in many estuaries worldwide. Apart from maintaining an ecologically unique intertidal environment, shoals also protect adjacent dyke systems by attenuating waves. The fate of sandy shoals under anticipated sea level rise (SLR) scenarios is underexplored. The current research...

Sediment Disposals in Estuarine Channels Alter the Eco-Morphology of Intertidal Flats

Dredging of navigation channels in estuaries affects estuarine morphology and ecosystems. In the Western Scheldt, a two-channel estuary in the Netherlands, the navigation channel is deepened and the sediment is relocated to other parts of the estuary. We analyzed the response of an intertidal flat to sediment disposals in its adjacent channel...

Measurements of hydrodynamics, sediment, morphology and benthos on Ameland ebb-tidal delta and lower shoreface

A large-scale field campaign was carried out on the ebb-tidal delta (ETD) of Ameland Inlet, a basin of the Wadden Sea in the Netherlands, as well as on three transects along the Dutch lower shoreface. The data have been obtained over the years 2017-2018. The most intensive campaign at the ETD of Ameland Inlet was in September 2017. With this...

Variations in storm-induced bed level dynamics across intertidal flats

Hydrodynamic forces on intertidal flats vary over a range of temporal and spatial scales. These spatiotemporal inhomogeneities have implications for intertidal flat morphodynamics and ecology. We determine whether storm events are capable of altering the long-term morphological evolution of intertidal flats, and unravel the contributions of...

The Importance of Combined Tidal and Meteorological Forces for the Flow and Sediment Transport on Intertidal Shoals

Estuarine intertidal areas are shaped by combined astronomical and meteorological forces. This paper reveals the relative importance of tide, surge, wind, and waves for the flow and sediment transport on large intertidal shoals. Results of an intensive field campaign have been used to validate a numerical model of the Roggenplaat intertidal...

The differences in morphological development between the intertidal flats of the Eastern and Western Scheldt

Human interventions have a large impact on estuarine morphology. The intertidal flats in the Eastern Scheldt and Western Scheldt estuaries (The Netherlands) have faced substantial morphological changes over the past decades. These changes are thought to be caused by human interventions, such as the construction of the storm surge barrier in the...

Equilibria and Evolution of Estuarine Fringing Intertidal Mudflats

Fringing intertidal flats are common features of elongated estuaries. We generalized the geometry of profiles of individual intertidal flats towards a common relationship, based on extensive measurement data of various estuaries. We found a strong linear relation between the width, slope and height of linear intertidal flat profiles, which also...

Physical Processes Driving the Morphological Evolution of the Roggenplaat Tidal Flat

The flow velocities in tidal channels are already rather complex by the presence of various tidal components, wind driven flow and estuarine circulations. An extra level of complexity is introduced when the flow on top of an intertidal<br/>flat is considered (Le Hir, 2000). This research aims at understanding the complex flow patterns on top of...