Observations of barrier coasts around the world suggest that some systems do not conform to the O'Brien-Jarret law. Here we explain this by investigating how resonance and bottom friction affect the response of tidal inlets to variations in basin geometry. Therefore, we develop a morphodynamic barrier coast model that is based on the stability concept of Escoffier for the morphological evolution of the inlets, coupled with an idealized hydrodynamic model that describes the water motion in the outer sea, inlets, and arbitrarily shaped back-barrier basin. We find that the total tidal prism through all inlets is predominantly determined by the (cross-shore) width of the basin and identify three regimes for this. First, a linear regime for narrow basins (i.e., basin width (Formula presented.) tidal wavelength) where a larger basin leads to a linear increase in total tidal prism. Second, a resonant regime for basins with a width around the resonant condition in which the total tidal prism reaches a peak. This resonance condition is a quarter tidal wavelength for basins without friction, which shifts to narrower basins as friction becomes stronger, down to 0.15 tidal wavelength. Third, a dissipative regime for wide basins (i.e., the cross-shore basin dimension or basin width (Formula presented.) resonant condition) with sufficiently strong bottom friction in which the total tidal prism does not change for wider basins, because the tidal wave completely dissipates in the basin.

We present an idealized network model for storm surges in the Wadden Sea, specifically including a time-dependent wind forcing (wind speed and direction). This extends the classical work by H.A. Lorentz who only considered the equilibrium response to a steady wind forcing. The solutions obtained in the frequency domain for the linearized shallow-water equations in a channel are combined in an algebraic system for the network. The velocity scale that is used for the linearized friction coefficient is determined iteratively. The hindcast of the storm surge of 5 December 2013 produces credible time-varying results. The effects of storm and basin parameters on the peak surge elevation are the subject of a sensitivity analysis. The formulation in the frequency domain reveals which modes in the external forcing lead to the largest surge response at coastal stations. There appears to be a minimum storm duration, of about 3–4 h, that is required for a surge to attain its maximum elevation. The influence of the water levels at the North Sea inlets on the Wadden Sea surges decreases towards the shore. In contrast, the wind shearing generates its largest response near the shore, where the fetch length is at its maximum

We develop a three-dimensional idealized model that is specifically aimed at gaining insight in the physical mechanisms resulting in the formation of estuarine turbidity maxima in tidally dominated estuaries. First, the three-dimensional equations for water motion and suspended sediment concentration together with the so-called morphodynamic equilibrium condition, are scaled. Next, surface elevation, velocity and sediment concentration are expanded in a small parameter ϵ=A¯_M2 /H, where A¯_M2 is the mean amplitude of the M₂ tide and H is the mean water depth at the seaward side. This results in a system of equations at each order in this small parameter. This ordering allows solving for the vertical structure of the velocity and suspended sediment concentration, independently of the horizontal dimension. After obtaining these vertical structures, the horizontal dependencies of the physical variables follow from solving a two-dimensional elliptic partial differential equation for the surface elevation. The availability of fine sediments in the estuary follows from a two-dimensional elliptic partial differential equation which results from requiring the system to be in morphodynamic equilibrium, and prescribing the total amount of easily erodible sediments available in the estuary. These elliptic equations for the surface elevation and sediment availability are solved numerically using the finite element method with cubic polynomials as basis functions. As a first application, the model is applied to the Ems estuary using a simplified geometry and bathymetric profiles characteristic for the years 1980 and 2005. The availability of fine sediments and location of maximum concentration are investigated for different lateral depth profiles. In the first experiment, a uniform lateral depth is considered. In this case, both the sediment availability and suspended sediment concentration are, as expected, uniform in the lateral direction. In 1980, the sediment is mainly trapped near the entrance, while in 2005, the sediment is mostly trapped in the freshwater zone. In the next experiment, the lateral bathymetry is varied parabolically while keeping the mean depth unchanged. In this case, the fine sediment is mainly found at the shallow sides, but the maximum sediment concentration is found in the deeper channel where the bed shear stress is much larger than on the shoals. As a final experiment, a more realistic (but smoothed) geometry and bathymetry for the Ems estuary are considered, showing the possibilities of applying the newly developed model to complex geometries and bathymetries.

We present a quick assessment method using an idealized one-dimensional linear model to explore the influence of multiple retention basins, whose construction is proposed as a measure to reduce tidal amplitudes in estuaries/tidal channels. To this end, we have developed a process-based network model for the cross-sectionally averaged water motion, including width and depth convergence (thus extending earlier studies), bottom friction, radiation damping and allowing for multiple basins at arbitrary locations. For frictionally dominated tidal channels, model results show that construction of a retention basin generally leads to a reduction of the tidal amplitude at the channel head. This reduction is stronger for larger basins and for basins closer to the landward side. Strikingly, for weak to moderate friction, a basin situated sufficiently close to the seaward side may trigger the opposite and undesired effect (tidal amplification) and nonlinear interaction among basins may occur. The model is then applied to the Ems estuary (Germany), where the construction of nine designated retention basins is currently under consideration. For parameter values representing the present-day Ems situation, constructing all nine proposed basins is estimated to result in a tidal amplitude reduction of 0.87 m (from 1.51 m to 0.64 m). A systematic model analysis of all 29 = 512 combinations shows that 86% of this reduction can be achieved by selecting only four of these basins. Importantly, shifts in the frictional regime, as experienced by the Ems in the past, may drastically change the effect of retention basins. Even though the efficiency and flexibility of this exploratory model allow for extensive sensitivity studies, we recommend to combine it with a detailed model, for the purpose of both efficiency and accuracy

Because wind is one of the main forcings in storm surge, we present an idealised process-based model to study the influence of topographic variations on the frequency response of large-scale coastal basins subject to time-periodic wind forcing. Coastal basins are represented by a semi-enclosed rectangular inner region forced by wind. It is connected to an outer region (represented as an infinitely long channel) without wind forcing, which allows waves to freely propagate outward. The model solves the three-dimensional linearised shallow water equations on the f plane, forced by a spatially uniform wind field that has an arbitrary angle with respect to the along-basin direction. Turbulence is represented using a spatially uniform vertical eddy viscosity, combined with a partial slip condition at the bed. The surface elevation amplitudes, and hence the vertical profiles of the velocity, are obtained using the finite element method (FEM), extended to account for the connection to the outer region. The results are then evaluated in terms of the elevation amplitude averaged over the basin’s landward end, as a function of the wind forcing frequency. In general, the results point out that adding topographic elements in the inner region (such as a topographic step, a linearly sloping bed or a parabolic cross-basin profile), causes the resonance peaks to shift in the frequency domain, through their effect on local wave speed. The Coriolis effect causes the resonance peaks associated with cross-basin modes (which without rotation only appear in the response to cross-basin wind) to emerge also in the response to along-basin wind and vice versa.