Modeling the sediment dynamics in the gulf of Urabá, colombian Caribbean sea

Abstract

The potential of the gulf of Urabá to hold a multi-purpose port motivated a sediment dynamics study to describe the seasonal sediment concentration patterns in this tropical region. Challenges addressed in this study include a complex three-dimensional flow pattern in a tropical estuary and the lack of in-situ measurements. To overcome such challenges, this study completed: (i) Measurements of suspended sediment concentrations during two climatic seasons and an extreme event (2010–2011); (ii) Definition of boundary conditions from global databases; (iii) Qualitative analysis of sediment concentrations from satellite imagery; and (iv) integration of the previously mentioned steps to build a process-based 3D sediment transport model. Seasonal patterns of suspended sediment concentrations were identified and corroborated by the agreement between model results, satellite imagery and field measurements. During the calm rainy season, the Atrato River turbid plume extends northward and dominates the sediment dynamics in the gulf. On the other hand, during the dry season and extreme events, bed transport is enhanced and the river's plume and the littoral drift shift southwards.