Predicting the salt water intrusion in the Shatt al-Arab estuary using an analytical approach
Longitudinal and vertical salinity measurements are used in this study to predict the extent of inland seawater intrusion in a deltaic river estuary. A predictive model is constructed to apply to the specific tidal, seasonal, and discharge variability and geometric characteristics of the Shatt al...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2016-10-01
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| Series: | Hydrology and Earth System Sciences |
| Online Access: | https://www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci.net/20/4031/2016/hess-20-4031-2016.pdf |
| Summary: | Longitudinal and vertical salinity measurements are used in this study to
predict the extent of inland seawater intrusion in a deltaic river estuary. A
predictive model is constructed to apply to the specific tidal, seasonal, and
discharge variability and geometric characteristics of the Shatt al-Arab
River (SAR) situated along the border of Iraq and Iran. Reliable hydrologic
simulation of salinity dynamics and seawater intrusion was lacking prior to
this study. Tidal excursion is simulated analytically using a 1-D analytical
salt intrusion model with recently updated equations for tidal mixing. The
model was applied under different river conditions to analyse the seasonal
variability of salinity distribution during wet and dry periods near spring
and neap tides between March 2014 and January 2015. A good fit is possible
with this model between computed and observed salinity distribution.
Estimating water abstractions along the estuary improves the performance of
the equations, especially at low flows and with a well-calibrated
dispersion–excursion relationship of the updated equations. Salt intrusion
lengths given the current data varied from 38 to 65 km during the year of
observation. With extremely low river discharge, which is highly likely
there, we predict a much further distance of 92 km. These new predictions
demonstrate that the SAR, already plagued with extreme salinity, may face
deteriorating water quality levels in the near future, requiring prompt
interventions. |
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| ISSN: | 1027-5606 1607-7938 |