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Seasonal Variability and Estuary–Shelf Interactions in Circulation Dynamics of a River-dominated Estuary

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Abstract

The long-term response of circulation processes to external forcing has been quantified for the Columbia River estuary using in situ data from an existing coastal observatory. Circulation patterns were determined from four Acoustic Doppler Profilers (ADP) and several conductivity–temperature sensors placed in the two main channels. Because of the very strong river discharge, baroclinic processes play a crucial role in the circulation dynamics, and the interaction of the tidal and subtidal baroclinic pressure gradients plays a major role in structuring the velocity field. The input of river flow and the resulting low-frequency flow dynamics in the two channels are quite distinct. Current and salinity data were analyzed on two time scales—subtidal (or residual) and tidal (both diurnal and semidiurnal components). The residual currents in both channels usually showed a classical two-layer baroclinic circulation system with inflow at the bottom and outflow near the surface. However, this two-layer system is transient and breaks down under strong discharge and tidal conditions because of enhanced vertical mixing. Influence of shelf winds on estuarine processes was also observed via the interactions with upwelling and downwelling processes and coastal plume transport. The transient nature of residual inflow affects the long-term transport characteristics of the estuary. Effects of vertical mixing could also be seen at the tidal time scale. Tidal velocities were separated into their diurnal and semidiurnal components using continuous wavelet transforms to account for the nonstationary nature of velocity amplitudes. The vertical structure of velocity amplitudes were considerably altered by baroclinic gradients. This was particularly true for the diurnal components, where tidal asymmetry led to stronger tidal velocities near the bottom.

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Acknowledgments

ADP and CTD data for this project came from CORIE, coauthor Baptista’s prototype coastal-margin observation and prediction system for the Columbia River and adjacent coast. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (AB133F-04-CN-0033), US Fish and Wildlife Service (133101J104), and the National Science Foundation (ACI-0121475 and OCE-0239072) provided financial support for this research and for the development of CORIE. We are also grateful to the Bonneville Power Administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, US Geological Survey, and US Army Corps of Engineers for providing additional data. We thank Philip M. Orton of Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (Columbia University) for plotting the along-channel density sections shown in Fig. 1. Any statements, opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the federal sponsors, and no official endorsement should be inferred.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental and Biomolecular Systems, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, OR, 97006, USA

    Arun Chawla

  2. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Portland State University, Portland, 97207, USA

    David A. Jay

  3. Science and Technology Center for Coastal Margin Observation and Prediction, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, OR, 97006, USA

    António M. Baptista, Michael Wilkin & Charles Seaton

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  1. Arun Chawla
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  2. David A. Jay
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  3. António M. Baptista
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  4. Michael Wilkin
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  5. Charles Seaton
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Correspondence to Arun Chawla.

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Chawla, A., Jay, D.A., Baptista, A.M. et al. Seasonal Variability and Estuary–Shelf Interactions in Circulation Dynamics of a River-dominated Estuary. Estuaries and Coasts: J CERF 31, 269–288 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-007-9022-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-007-9022-7

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