The effects of wind-wave disturbances on sediment resuspension and phosphate release in Lake Chao

Abstract

As a typical shallow lake with a wind-generated flow, the resuspension state of sediment and phosphorus release under wind field disturbance plays an important role in controlling lake eutrophication in Lake Chao. In this study, we proposed a combination of experimental analysis of dynamic disturbances, wind-wave disturbance shear stress calculation, and model simulation (experimental-calculative-modeling) to quantitatively investigate the effects of wind-wave disturbances on the resuspension state of Lake Chao bottom sediment and phosphorus release and distribution. The results showed that the release rate of phosphorus from the Lake Chao bottom sediment was affected by the wind field and bottom sediment content, which varied significantly spatially and showed some difference between different seasons. Under the condition of sufficient water body disturbance, the substrate in the Western Lake area of Lake Chao mainly adsorbed phosphate from the water body, while the substrate in the Central Lake area and the Eastern Lake area adsorbed phosphate along with the release. The magnitude of the phosphorus release rate due to sediment resuspension was mainly affected by wind speed, and the distribution of phosphorus content was influenced by the circulation generated by different dominant wind directions. The wind-wave disturbances have a significant effect on the spatial and temporal distribution of phosphorus in Lake Chao, and the proposed experimental-calculative-modeling ensemble can provide relevant technical support for the study of water pollution control strategies and comprehensive remediation and management of Lake Chao.