A system shift in tidal choking due to the construction of Yangshan Harbour, Shanghai, China. (30th June 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Guo, Wenyun; Wang, Xiao Hua; Ding, Pingxing; Ge, Jianzhong; Song, Dehai
• Is Part Of: Estuarine, coastal and shelf science. Volume 206(2018)
• Page Start: 49
• Page End: 60
• Publication Date: 2018-06-30
• Subjects: Tidal choking -- Tidal dynamics -- Tidal energy -- Land reclamation -- Dredging -- FVCOM; Estuarine oceanography -- Periodicals; Coasts -- Periodicals; Estuarine biology -- Periodicals; Seashore biology -- Periodicals; Coasts; Estuarine biology; Estuarine oceanography; Seashore biology; Periodicals; 551.461805
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecss.2017.03.017
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0272-7714

Abstract

Abstract: Tidal choking is a geometric feature caused by a narrowed channel. Construction of the Yangshan Harbour, Shanghai, China obstructed three key channels and intensively changed the local geometry and topography. In this study nine numerical experiments based on the Finite-Volume Community Ocean Model are conducted to study the project's influence on tidal characteristics. Results show that stronger tidal choking happened at the East Entrance after project, mainly due to the jet induced water-level drop forced by Bernoulli law and the longer and narrower geometry. The stronger tidal choking forces a faster flow and larger tidal energy flux at the choked channel while reducing the tidal amplitude in the Inner Harbour Area (IHA). The scouring on this channel reduces the choking effect but further enlarges tidal energy flux. Moreover, damming the channels decrease the tidal amplitude at the lee side of tidal propagating direction while increasing the amplitude on the stoss side. The dams also decrease the tidal current on both sides, and meanwhile develop two patches with stronger current aside the dam. The project induced changes in tidal characteristics are complex in space, and perturbations in bathymetry increase this complexity. Yangshan Harbour's construction induces little changes in the total tidal energy density in the IHA, but induces obvious changes in the spatial distribution of tidal energy. Although this study is site-specific, the findings may be applicable to tidal dynamics in land reclamation close to open seas, such as the dramatic reclamation of islands in the South China Sea. Highlights: Tidal choking is strengthened by damming channels in a multi-channel system. Dams decrease downstream tidal amplitude. Yangshan Harbour's construction induces obvious changes in the spatial distribution of tidal energy.