| Description |
A coupled coastal hydrodynamic and sediment transport model application was constructed using the Delft3D (version 4.04.01) modeling system to simulate dispersal of fine-grained sediment plumes from beach nourishment projects along the coast of Santa Barbara, California. The model consisted of a three-dimensional Delft3D flow model that was 2-way coupled to the spectral wave model, SWAN, computed on a structured curvilinear grid with a spatial resolution that varied between 20 m in the nearshore area near the project site to about 180 m at the seaward extent of the model domain. Dispersal of fine-grained sediment plumes was simulated for two types of nourishment projects including drag and haul (DH) and hydraulic dredging (HD) that are periodically performed to increase the supply of sediment to beaches in the study area. The modeling approach utilized two types of simulations including a series of relatively short (3-day) sensitivity tests to examine variability in plume direction and extent under variations in wind direction, wave height, and sediment settling velocities as well as longer (3 month) hindcasts to simulate sediment dynamics associated with typical nourishment projects using realistic wave and wind conditions. Model input files for both drag and haul (DH) and hydraulic dredging (HD) projects are provided in .zip archives for both sensitivity and hindcast simulations. [More]
|
