Effects of Sea Level Rise on Coastal Reclamation Projects in Jiaojiang Estuary, China

Abstract

Sun, Z.; Nie, H.; Huang, S.; Huang, S.; Huang, W.; Zhu, L., and Gao, Y., 2014. Effects of sea level rise on coastal reclamation projects in Jiaojiang estuary, China.In this paper, a series of numerical simulations are carried out to investigate the storm tide characteristics in Jiaojiang estuary and nearshore areas after the proposed cluster reclamation project (from 2011 to 2023) and in different amplitude of sea level rise (SLR) during TC9711 (tropical cyclone Winnie). Special attention is paid on the variations of tidal levels at different locations. Due to reclamation project, It can be found that the maximum tidal levels significantly increase along Niutou Necking-Shanjiaopu section, both banks inside estuary entrance, northern Toumen Harbor and in harbor basin. On the contrary, tidal levels along northern Toumen Harbor, Puba Harbor and southern bank outside entrance decrease clearly. Meanwhile, study on influence of SLR at Haimen Station indicates that impacts of SLR on tidal levels increase as SLR increment grows, appear as periodic variation with the same cycle of tide and bring about maximum variation of tidal levels of 0.382 m and −0.339 m for SLR at 0.6 m. Moreover, investigation of influence of SLR on maximum tidal levels reveals that the maximum tidal levels in domain generally decrease as SLR increases, but those will increase significantly for SLR of 0.03 m and 0.15 m along Sanjiangkou and Niutou Necking. The results are helpful to provide constructive references for disaster prevention and reduction in process of design, construction and completion of reclamation.