Tidal eddies in a semi-enclosed basin: a model study

Area of Science:

• Marine science
• Oceanography
• Environmental modeling

Background:

• The Gulf of Kachchh, India, requires a Marine Management Plan.
• Understanding the Gulf's hydrodynamic processes is crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the hydrodynamic modeling component of a Marine Management Plan for the Gulf of Kachchh.
• To validate the model's accuracy in predicting tides and tidal currents.
• To analyze residual currents and predict the movement of surface floating particles.

Main Methods:

• A hydrodynamic model was developed and utilized.
• Model predictions of tides and tidal currents were validated with available measured data.
• Time-averaged residual currents were analyzed over one lunar cycle.
• Simulations of surface floating particle movement were conducted.

Main Results:

• The hydrodynamic model accurately predicts tides and tidal currents in the Gulf.
• The model reproduces complex, small-scale, topographically induced flows and eddies.
• A significant dynamic barrier exists along the Sikka-Mundra section, dividing the Gulf.
• Pollutants discharged upstream of this barrier may persist in the vicinity for at least one lunar cycle.

Conclusions:

• The hydrodynamic model provides a valuable tool for the Marine Management Plan.
• The identified dynamic barrier has critical implications for waste management and pollutant dispersal.
• Industries upstream of the Sikka-Mundra barrier must exercise extreme caution regarding waste discharge.