Modelling of Water Flows and Cohesive Sediment Fluxes in the Humber Estuary, UK

Abstract

Details are given of a refined, three-dimensional, layer-integrated mathematical model for predicting accurately the flow and cohesive sediment transport processes in estuarine and coastal waters. The model is applied to the Humber Estuary, UK, in order to predict the suspended cohesive sediment transport fluxes. Field-measured data at a station in the Trent Falls region (53° 42.8′N, 0° 37.8′W) and Station SG13 in the plume region (53° 35.19′N, 0° 13.90′E) were used to drive the model. Comparisons between the model predictions and field-measured data at Station SG23 (53° 35.71′N, 0° 02.17′E) within the estuary (Hawke Anchorage) were made. Comparisons of the suspended cohesive sediment concentrations for the numerical model results and the field data at Hawke Anchorage showed good agreement in the regime of deposition. In the regime of erosion, the model also gave reasonably good predictions, although the large variation in suspended sediment concentrations with depth was not well reproduced by the numerical model.