Changes in Current Regime and Turbidity in Response to a Freshwater Pulse in the Eastmain Estuary

Abstract

In September 1984, the freshwater input to the Eastmain River (James Bay, Canada) was increased by a factor of 50 over a 6-d period during a controlled reservoir discharge. Changes to the current, salinity and turbidity regimes were monitored during the peak runoff. Estuarine salinity values fell rapidly with increasing mean flow, as did the amplitude of the semi-diurnal tidal currents. A large increase in bottom shear stress dispersed the settled suspension layer into the water column, raising concentrations of suspended matter in the estuary by a factor of 4 in 3 d. The peak values exceeded 150 mg I−1. This led to erosion of the river silt deposits, with the export of an estimated 6 × 104 metric tons of sediments. After the reduction of discharge, current values returned to their normal range within a day, whereas upstream salinity intrusion occurred at a slower rate. Horizontal diffusivities of about 100 m2 s−1 were required to match the observed lag.