Author(s)

R W Barber & M J Wearing

Abstract

This paper describes the development of a novel mathematical model for predicting the water quality response of small tidal harbours and marinas which are subjected to a continuous release of conservative pollutant. The model is based upon a ‘tidal prism’ or ‘zero-dimensional’ approach and uses a simple analytical technique to predict the periodic variations in pollutant concentration. The mathematical model provides a viable and computationally inexpensive alternative to conventional multi-dimensional pollution transport simulations and offers an insight into the interrelationship between the main physical parameters which govern the dispersion of pollution from a tidal harbour. Predictions from the analytical formulation are compared with experimental pollution data from a 1:400 scale laboratory model of a generic square harbour. The results indicate that the tidal prism approach offers a simple yet robust method of determining the water quality response of well-mixed tidal basins.

Keywords