scholarly journals Role of intertidal wetlands for tidal and storm tide attenuation along a confined estuary: a model study

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
pp. 3181-3224 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Smolders ◽  
Y. Plancke ◽  
S. Ides ◽  
P. Meire ◽  
S. Temmerman
Keyword(s):  
Surface Area ◽  
Wave Attenuation ◽  
Spring Tide ◽  
Storm Surges ◽  
High Water ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Storm Tide ◽  
Flood Risks ◽  
Model Study

Abstract. Coastal lowlands and estuaries are subjected to increasing flood risks during storm surges due to global and regional changes. Tidal wetlands are increasingly valued as effective natural buffers for storm surges by dissipating wave energy and providing flood water storage. While previous studies focused on flood wave attenuation within and behind wetlands, this study focuses on the effects of estuarine wetland properties on the attenuation of a storm tide that propagates along the length of an estuary. Wetland properties including elevation, surface area, and location within the estuary were investigated using a numerical model of the Scheldt estuary (Belgium, SW Netherlands). For a spring tide lower wetland elevations result in more attenuation of high water levels along the estuary, while for a higher storm tide higher elevations provide more attenuation compared to lower wetland elevations. For spring and storm tide a arger wetland surface area results in a better attenuation along the estuary up to a threshold wetland size for which larger wetlands do not further contribute to more attenuation. Finally a wetland of the same size and elevation, but located more upstream in the estuary, can store a larger proportion of the local flood volume and therefore has a larger attenuating effect on upstream high water levels. With this paper we aim to contribute towards a better understanding and wider implementation of ecosystem-based adaptation to increasing estuarine flood risks associated with storms.

scholarly journals Role of intertidal wetlands for tidal and storm tide attenuation along a confined estuary: a model study

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (7) ◽  
pp. 1659-1675 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Smolders ◽  
Y. Plancke ◽  
S. Ides ◽  
P. Meire ◽  
S. Temmerman
Keyword(s):  
Surface Area ◽  
Wave Attenuation ◽  
Spring Tide ◽  
Storm Surges ◽  
High Water ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Storm Tide ◽  
Flood Risks ◽  
Model Study

Abstract. Coastal lowlands and estuaries are subjected to increasing flood risks during storm surges due to global and regional changes. Tidal wetlands are increasingly valued as effective natural buffers for storm surges by dissipating wave energy and providing flood water storage. While previous studies focused on flood wave attenuation within and behind wetlands, this study focuses on the effects of estuarine wetland properties on the attenuation of a storm tide that propagates along the length of an estuary. Wetland properties including elevation, surface area, and location within the estuary were investigated using a numerical model of the Scheldt estuary (Belgium, SW Netherlands). For a spring tide lower wetland elevations result in more attenuation of high water levels along the estuary, while for a higher storm tide higher elevations provide more attenuation compared to lower wetland elevations. For spring and storm tide a larger wetland surface area results in a better attenuation along the estuary up to a threshold wetland size for which larger wetlands do not further contribute to more attenuation. Finally a wetland of the same size and elevation, but located more upstream in the estuary, can store a larger proportion of the local flood volume and therefore has a larger attenuating effect on upstream high water levels. With this paper we aim to contribute towards a better understanding and wider implementation of ecosystem-based adaptation to increasing estuarine flood risks associated with storms.

scholarly journals PRE- and POST-STORM LiDAR SURVEYS FOR ASSESSMENT OF IMPACT ON COASTAL EROSION

2019 ◽  
Vol XLII-3/W8 ◽  
pp. 261-266
Author(s):  
A.-L. Montreuil ◽  
M. Chen ◽  
A. Esquerré ◽  
R. Houthuys ◽  
R. Moelans ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Morphological Changes ◽  
Storm Surges ◽  
High Water ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Airborne Lidar ◽  
Coastline Change ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Impact

<p><strong>Abstract.</strong> Sustainable management of the coastal resources requires a better understanding of the processes that drive coastline change. The coastline is a highly dynamic sea-terrestrial interface. It is affected by forcing factors such as water levels, waves, winds, and the highest and most severe changes occur during storm surges. Extreme storms are drivers responsible for rapid and sometimes dramatic changes of the coastline. The consequences of the impacts from these events entail a broad range of social, economic and natural resource considerations from threats to humans, infrastructure and habitats. This study investigates the impact of a severe storm on coastline response on a sandy multi-barred beach at the Belgian coast. Airborne LiDAR surveys acquired pre- and post-storm covering an area larger than 1 km<sup>2</sup> were analyzed and reproducible monitoring solutions adapted to assess beach morphological changes were applied. Results indicated that the coast retreated by a maximum of 14.7 m where the embryo dunes in front of the fixed dunes were vanished and the foredune undercut. Storm surge and wave attacks were probably the most energetic there. However, the response of the coastline proxies associated with the mean high water line (MHW) and dunetoe (DuneT) was spatially variable. Based on the extracted beach features, good correlations (r>0.73) were found between coastline, berm and inner intertidal bar morphology, while it was weak with the most seaward bars covered in the surveys. This highlights the role of the upper features on the beach to protect the coastline from storm erosion by reducing wave energy. The findings are of critical importance in improving our knowledge and forecasting of coastline response to storms, and also in its translation into management practices.</p>

scholarly journals Reconstruction of wind and surge of the 1906 storm tide at the German North Sea Coast

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elke M. I. Meyer ◽  
Ralf Weisse ◽  
Iris Grabemann ◽  
Birger Tinz ◽  
Robert Scholz
Keyword(s):  
North Sea ◽  
Spring Tide ◽  
Storm Surges ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Weather Data ◽  
Detailed Knowledge ◽  
Time Lags ◽  
Storm Tide ◽  
Sea Coast ◽  
North Sea Coast

Abstract. Storm tides represent a major threat to the low-lying German North Sea coast. Knowledge of extremes is essential for the design of reliable and robust coastal defences. A storm tide that occurred on 12–13 March 1906 along the German Bight coastline still represents one of the strongest events on record. For this event, detailed knowledge of atmospheric and hydrodynamic conditions is still lacking. To assess the potential impact of such an event on today’s coastline, century-long atmospheric reanalysis data together with a manual synoptic reconstruction based on archived weather data were used to drive a tide-surge model and to simulate water levels during the event. Sensitivity experiments were performed to estimate potential amplification of water levels that could have been caused by different time lags between the storm and the astronomical tide. Comparison between the model results and the limited available observational data indicated, that the water levels could be reasonably reconstructed using wind fields from the manual synoptic approach and some of the reanalysis ensemble members. The amplification potential was found to be low because the storm occurred during spring tide and shifts in the phase of the astronomic tide yielded only small changes in total water levels. To summarize, if pressure data are available at relevant locations, historical storm surges can be simulated with reanalysis products and also with a manual synoptic reconstruction.

scholarly journals An advanced method for flood risk analysis in river deltas, applied to societal flood fatality risks in the Netherlands

2014 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 1637-1670 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. M. de Bruijn ◽  
F. L. M. Diermanse ◽  
J. V. L. Beckers
Keyword(s):  
Risk Analysis ◽  
Flood Risk ◽  
Hydrodynamic Interaction ◽  
Storm Surges ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Analysis Framework ◽  
Flood Risks ◽  
River Deltas ◽  
River Flood ◽  
Flood Risk Analysis

Abstract. This paper discusses the new method developed to analyse flood risks in river deltas. Risk analysis of river deltas is complex, because both storm surges and river discharges may cause flooding and since the effect of upstream breaches on downstream water levels and flood risks must be taken into account. A Monte Carlo based flood risk analysis framework for policy making was developed, which considers both storm surges and river flood waves and includes hydrodynamic interaction effects on flood risks. It was applied to analyse societal flood fatality risks (the probability of events with more than N fatalities) in the Rhine–Meuse delta.

scholarly journals Effect of Variations in Water Level and Wave Steepness on the Robustness of Wave Overtopping Estimation

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 63
Author(s):  
Nils B. Kerpen ◽  
Karl-Friedrich Daemrich ◽  
Oliver Lojek ◽  
Torsten Schlurmann
Keyword(s):  
Water Level ◽  
Wave Spectrum ◽  
Water Environment ◽  
Physical Modelling ◽  
Storm Surges ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Coastal Protection ◽  
Wave Steepness ◽  
Wave Overtopping

The wave overtopping discharge at coastal defense structures is directly linked to the freeboard height. By means of physical modelling, experiments on wave overtopping volumes at sloped coastal structures are customarily determined for constant water levels and static wave steepness conditions (e.g., specific wave spectrum). These experiments are the basis for the formulation of empirically derived and widely acknowledged wave overtopping estimations for practical design purposes. By analysis and laboratory reproduction of typical features from exemplarily regarded real storm surge time series in German coastal waters, the role of non-stationary water level and wave steepness were analyzed and adjusted in experiments. The robustness of wave overtopping estimation formulae (i.e., the capabilities and limitations of such a static projection of dynamic boundary conditions) are outlined. Therefore, the classic static approach is contrasted with data stemming from tests in which both water level and wave steepness were dynamically altered in representative arrangements. The analysis reveals that mean overtopping discharges for simple sloping structures in an almost deep water environment could be robustly estimated for dynamic water level changes by means of the present design formulae. In contrast, the role of dynamic changes of the wave steepness led to a substantial discrepancy of overtopping volumes by a factor of two. This finding opens new discussion on methodology and criteria design of coastal protection infrastructure under dynamic exposure to storm surges and in lieu of alterations stemming from projected sea level rise.

New York City Storm Surges: Climatology and an Analysis of the Wind and Cyclone Evolution

2010 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian A. Colle ◽  
Katherine Rojowsky ◽  
Frank Buonaito
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
New York City ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
York City ◽  
Storm Surges ◽  
High Water ◽  
Storm Tide ◽  
Coastal Flood ◽  
Cyclone Tracking ◽  
Flooding Events

Abstract A climatological description (“climatology”) of storm surges and actual flooding (storm tide) events from 1959 to 2007 is presented for the New York City (NYC) harbor. The prevailing meteorological conditions associated with these surges are also highlighted. Two surge thresholds of 0.6–1.0 m and &gt;1.0 m were used at the Battery, New York (south side of Manhattan in NYC), to identify minor and moderate events, respectively. The minor-surge threshold combined with a tide at or above mean high water (MHW) favors a coastal flood advisory for NYC, and the moderate surge above MHW leads to a coastal flood warning. The number of minor surges has decreased gradually during the last several decades at NYC while the number of minor (storm tide) flooding events has increased slightly given the gradual rise in sea level. There were no moderate flooding events at the Battery from 1997 to 2007, which is the quietest period during the last 50 yr. However, if sea level rises 12–50 cm during the next century, the number of moderate flooding events is likely to increase exponentially. Using cyclone tracking and compositing of the NCEP global reanalysis (before 1979) and regional reanalysis (after 1978) data, the mean synoptic evolution was obtained for the NYC surge events. There are a variety of storm tracks associated with minor surges, whereas moderate surges favor a cyclone tracking northward along the East Coast. The average surface winds at NYC veer from northwesterly at 48 h before the time of maximum surge to a persistent period of east-northeasterlies beginning about 24 h before the surge. There is a relatively large variance in wind directions and speeds around the time of maximum surge, thus suggesting the importance of other factors (fetch, storm duration and track, etc.).

scholarly journals Socio-hydrology: conceptualising human-flood interactions

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 4515-4536 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Di Baldassarre ◽  
A. Viglione ◽  
G. Carr ◽  
L. Kuil ◽  
J. L. Salinas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Flood Control ◽  
Technological Development ◽  
River System ◽  
High Water ◽  
Social Processes ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Control Structures ◽  
Flooding Events

Abstract. Over history, humankind has tended to settle near streams because of the role of rivers as transportation corridors and the fertility of riparian areas. However, human settlements in floodplains have been threatened by the risk of flooding. Possible responses have been to resettle away and/or modify the river system by building flood control structures. This has led to a complex web of interactions and feedback mechanisms between hydrological and social processes in settled floodplains. This paper is an attempt to conceptualise these interplays for hypothetical human-flood systems. We develop a simple, dynamic model to represent the interactions and feedback loops between hydrological and social processes. The model is then used to explore the dynamics of the human-flood system and the effect of changing individual characteristics, including external forcing such as technological development. The results show that the conceptual model is able to reproduce reciprocal effects between floods and people as well as the emergence of typical patterns. For instance, when levees are built or raised to protect floodplain areas, their presence not only reduces the frequency of flooding, but also exacerbates high water levels. Then, because of this exacerbation, higher flood protection levels are required by the society. As a result, more and more flooding events are avoided, but rare and catastrophic events take place.

scholarly journals Socio-hydrology: conceptualising human-flood interactions

2013 ◽  
Vol 17 (8) ◽  
pp. 3295-3303 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Di Baldassarre ◽  
A. Viglione ◽  
G. Carr ◽  
L. Kuil ◽  
J. L. Salinas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Flood Control ◽  
Technological Development ◽  
River System ◽  
High Water ◽  
Social Processes ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Control Structures ◽  
Flooding Events

Abstract. Over history, humankind has tended to settle near streams because of the role of rivers as transportation corridors and the fertility of riparian areas. However, human settlements in floodplains have been threatened by the risk of flooding. Possible responses have been to resettle away and/or modify the river system by building flood control structures. This has led to a complex web of interactions and feedback mechanisms between hydrological and social processes in settled floodplains. This paper is an attempt to conceptualise these interplays for hypothetical human-flood systems. We develop a simple, dynamic model to represent the interactions and feedback loops between hydrological and social processes. The model is then used to explore the dynamics of the human-flood system and the effect of changing individual characteristics, including external forcing such as technological development. The results show that the conceptual model is able to reproduce reciprocal effects between floods and people as well as the emergence of typical patterns. For instance, when levees are built or raised to protect floodplain areas, their presence not only reduces the frequency of flooding, but also exacerbates high water levels. Then, because of this exacerbation, higher flood protection levels are required by society. As a result, more and more flooding events are avoided, but rare and catastrophic events take place.

scholarly journals Observations of Cross-Shore Chenier Dynamics in Demak, Indonesia

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 972
Author(s):  
Silke A. J. Tas ◽  
Dirk S. van Maren ◽  
Ad J. H. M. Reniers
Keyword(s):  
Sediment Transport ◽  
Monsoon Season ◽  
High Water ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Coarse Grained ◽  
Observational Period ◽  
The Cross ◽  
The One ◽  
Velocity Moments

Cheniers are important for stabilising mud-dominated coastlines. A chenier is a body of wave-reworked, coarse-grained sediment consisting of sand and shells overlying a muddy substrate. In this paper we present and analyse a week of field observations of the dynamics of a single chenier along the coast of Demak, Indonesia. Despite relatively calm hydrodynamics during the one-week observational period, the chenier migrated surprisingly fast in the landward direction. The role of the tide and waves on the cross-shore chenier dynamics is explored using velocity moments as a proxy for the sediment transport. This approach shows that both tide and waves are capable of transporting the sediment of the chenier system. During calm conditions (representative for the south-east monsoon season), the tides generate a landward-directed sediment transport when the chenier crest is high relative to mean sea level. Waves only generate substantial sediment transport (direct, via skewness, and indirect, via stirring) when the chenier is submerged during periods with higher waves. The cross-shore chenier dynamics are very sensitive to the timing of tide and waves: most transport takes place when high water levels coincide with (relatively) high waves.

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