Consistent Estimates for the Residence Time of Micro-tidal Estuaries

Abstract

Water exchange and residence time are calculated for 31 small Danish estuaries to assess the spatial variability of estuarine processes and biogeochemical properties. To identify the uncertainty of the residence time estimates, three different model types have been applied to the estuaries. The dynamic models applied comprise hydrodynamic (HD) models, and a well-mixed batch reactor model for the winter-nitrate concentration. Residence times of the dynamic models range from 0·3 to 127d. The median value of the deviation between the results of these two model types is 30%. Furthermore, a morphological model is formulated. It includes entrance width as the independent variable, and the approximation that the saltwater flow per unit entrance width is equal for investigated Danish estuaries. This model yields a fair representation of water exchange and residence time over three and two orders of magnitude, respectively. The deviation from the dynamic model results is 40%. Hence, in comparison to entrance width, differences in mixing and forcing appear to be of limited importance to the water exchange variability between Danish estuaries. The morphological model may thus be used to give a sound estimate of the water exchange for Danish estuaries, where more detailed modelling is lacking. However, in either model comparison, the deviation between model results is less than the residence time variability between the estuaries. The models may thus supplement one another for making quantitatively acceptable analysis of processes and bio-geochemical properties in Danish estuaries.