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...

Morphological development of the rif and the Engelsmanplaat: An intertidal flat complex in the Frisian inlet, Dutch Wadden Sea

The Rif and the Engelsmanplaat form together a supra- to intertidal flat-complex at the fringe of the ebb-tidal delta and the back barrier area in the Frisian Inlet, located between the Dutch Wadden Sea Islands Ameland and Schiermonnikoog. The complex divides the Frisian Inlet into the Pinkegat Inlet in the west and the Zoutkamperlaag Inlet in...

Intertidal Flats in Engineered Estuaries: On the Hydrodynamics, Morphodynamics, and Implications for Ecology and System Management

Intertidal flats — regions of estuaries that emerge every tide from the water — form unique ecosystems. Benthic communities living in the bed are a valuable food source for wading birds. Salt marshes present on these flats further enhance the biodiversity. Through the damping of waves, intertidal flats also contribute to the safety of the...

Comparing different shallow geophysical methods in a tidal estuary, Verdronken Land van Saeftinge, Western Scheldt, the Netherlands

In order to validate existing models of sedimentation in active sedimentary environments, detailed stratigraphic information is indispensable. Near-surface geophysical methods provide a means to acquire high-resolution images of the stratigraphic succession in the shallow subsurface. Land-based and marine methods have been tested in the...

Future Response of the Wadden Sea Tidal Basins to Relative Sea-Level rise—An Aggregated Modelling Approach

Climate change, and especially the associated acceleration of sea-level rise, forms a serious threat to the Wadden Sea. The Wadden Sea contains the world’s largest coherent intertidal flat area and it is known that these flats can drown when the rate of sea-level rise exceeds a critical limit. As a result, the intertidal flats would then be...

Diagnostic modeling of the shoreline variation along the Jiangsu Coast, China

Intertidal flats are of great socio-economic and ecological importance in defending the coastal cities from flooding, providing resources for land reclamations and habits for wildlife. On the intertidal flats, milder profiles are usually featured with finer sediment. However, we find the opposite relationship between the alongshore variation in...

The impact of wind on flow and sediment transport over intertidal flats

Sediment transport over intertidal flats is driven by a combination of waves, tides, and wind-driven flow. In this study we aimed at identifying and quantifying the interactions between these processes. A five week long dataset consisting of flow velocities, waves, water depths, suspended sediment concentrations, and bed level changes was...

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...

Development of intertidal flats in the Dutch Wadden Sea in response to a rising sea level: Spatial differentiation and sensitivity to the rate of sea level rise

The Wadden Sea is a unique intertidal wetland area, forming an important hub for migratory water birds. A feared effect of accelerated sea-level rise (SLR) is the gradual loss or even disappearance of the ecologically valuable intertidal flats. To date, the effect of SLR on the time-evolution of the intertidal areas in the Dutch Wadden Sea...

Winds of opportunity: The effects of wind on intertidal flat accretion

Intertidal ecosystems are threatened by sea level rise and anthropogenic pressures. Understanding the processes controlling the morphodynamic developments of tidal flats is crucial for sustainable management of these systems. Analysis of three extensive fieldwork campaigns carried out on two adjacent mudflats fringing the Dutch Western Wadden...

A mud budget of the Wadden Sea and its implications for sediment management

The world’s coasts and deltas are progressively threatened by climate change and human activities. The degree at which coastlines can adapt to these changes strongly depends on the sediment availability. The availability of muddy sediments is however poorly known. This study aims at developing a mud budget for the world’s largest system of...

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...

Seasonal and Spatial Variability in Patchiness of Microphytobenthos on Intertidal Flats From Sentinel-2 Satellite Imagery

Understanding the spatial structure of microphytobenthos (MPB) on intertidal flats is necessary to gain insight in the benthic community structure and ecosystem processes. The increasing availability of high resolution satellite sensors provides the opportunity to better understand spatial patterns of MPB on various (meter to km) scales. We...

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...

Progradation Speed of Tide-Dominated Tidal Flats Decreases Stronger Than LinearlyWith Decreasing Sediment Availability and LinearlyWith Sea Level Rise

We use the results of a one-dimensional morphodynamic model and the basis of the “Lagrangian equilibrium state” (Maan et al., 2015, https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JF003311) to derive a quantitative relationship between the progradation speed of tidal flats and the suspended sediment concentration in their adjacent waters and show that the speed...

Beneficial use of dredged sediment to enhance salt marsh development by applying a ‘Mud Motor’

We test an innovative approach to beneficially re-use dredged sediment to enhance salt marsh development. A Mud Motor is a dredged sediment disposal in the form of a semi-continuous source of mud in a shallow tidal channel allowing natural processes to disperse the sediment to nearby mudflats and salt marshes. We describe the various steps in...

Mud distribution and land reclamation in the eastern Wadden shallows

Description of the process of silting up intertidal areas and marshland, description of sediments, origin of sediment. The interaction between sediment and vegetation, the quantity of mud in water. Descriptions of methods to enhance the silting up using gripping-up and the use of ditches and trenches to improve this. The Schleswick-Holstein...