Concept of Surface Water Quality Modeling in Tidal Rivers and Estuaries

Park, Kyeong

Environmental Engineering Research 1996;1(1): 1-13.

Kyeong Park^†

Department of Oceanography, Inha University

Corresponding Author: Kyeong Park ,

Received: January 9, 1996; Accepted: February 27, 1996.

ABSTRACT

Water quality conditions and management in tidal rivers and estuaries have received increased attention in recent years, and the numerical modeling of surface water quality has been used extensively as a scientific and managerial tool. This paper discusses the concept and reviews the current status of the numerical modeling of surface water quality, particularly eutrophication and hypoxia, in tidal rivers and estuaries. Most mechanistic water quality models are based on the mass-balance equations, which consist of physical transport and biogeochemical processes. The time scales are controlled more by physical transport processes in the intratidal models, but more by biogeochemical processes in the intertidal models. The spatial scales are mainly controlled by the physical transport processes. The differences in the scales of the processes in the mass-balance equation are important in understanding their meanings and in deriving proper numerical solutions. Various as-pects in the numerical modeling of the physical transport and the biogeochemical processes are discussed. Be¬cause of the large uncertainties in the biogeochemical processes, accurate simulation of the physical transport processes, particularly the residual circulations and the turbulent mixing, is critical for a reliable water quality modeling. The importance of the field data is also emphasized.

Keywords: Surface Water Quality Modeling | Tidal Rivers and Estuaries | Physical Transport Processes | Biogeochemical Processes | Time and Spatial Scales