Investigation of surges in marine estuaries (A case study for the Don River mouth)

Abstract

Upsurges and downsurges in the Don River mouth are investigated using the observational data of the standard hydrometeorological network. The characteristics ofsurges are determined, andthe catalog of maximum annual dangerous surges is compiled for the observation points in the estuarine offshore zone and mouth reach of the Don River from the beginning of observations till 2014. The series of the maximum annual upsurges and downsurges at marine gaging stations in the Taganrog Bay are formed and statistically processed. The distribution of surges along the Taganrog Bay is analyzed. Catastrophic surges which cause adverse and severe events are identified as well as the qualitative and quaniiiaiive patterns of surge peneiraiion to the Don River mouth. The coefficients of upsurges and downsurges, the intensity of their attenuation, and water levels with the probability of 0.1, 1, and 50% at different river runoff are calculated at all gaging stations in the Don estuary for specific upsurges and downsurges. The results of test computations of surges for the specific point in the Taganrog Bay for 2013-2015 based on the numerical hydrodynamic model of the Sea of Azov are compared with observational data. The possibility was revealed of forecasting downsurges and upsurges based on synoptic conditions over the Sea of Azov with the lead time of three days using hydrodynamic models that allowed developing the prediction scheme of surge transformation calculation.