Abstract
In past decades, the turbidity in Singapore's coastal waters has been increased. This has led to reduced visibility and increased siltation rates, detrimental for the coral reefs and other sensitive ecosystems around Singapore. The reasons for this increased turbidity are poorly known because little quantitative information exists on sediment dynamics around Singapore, on changes in sediment sources, and on the physical environment. Therefore we set out to quantify the effect of fluvial contributions on changes in sediment dynamics, using a combination of numerical models, satellite images, and hydrodynamic and sedimentary data. Results indicate that the main fluvial source enters an ebb-dominant estuary, with sediment export primarily balanced by settling/scour lags rather than estuarine circulation. A large part of the sediment load enters the Singapore Strait, where the large-scale marine currents effectively transport most sediment towards the coral reefs. However, mixing with marine water masses in both the estuary and the adjacent Singapore Strait sufficiently dilutes this fluvial sediment source to have a negligible impact on Singapore's coral reefs.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.