Suspended Sediment Dynamics and Sedimentation Processes in Macrotidal Estuaries of Mezen and Kuloy
https://doi.org/10.31857/S2587556622060048
Abstract
The hydrological and geomorphological processes occurring in the macrotidal Mezen and Kuloy estuaries are completely subject to the effects of the tidal wave. The main purpose of studying the dynamics of suspended matter and sedimentation processes is to determine the river and marine factors affecting sediment transport and the features of lithodynamic processes. Expeditionary studies of the Mezen and Kuloy estuaries, which were conducted by the author in 2005−2019s, showed that a high concentration of suspended sediments compared to the adjacent areas of the river and sea is observed in areas of reversible currents. The concentration of sediments was determined by weighting of the filtered samples taken during the tidal cycle, while simultaneously recording the hydraulic parameters of the water flow. The maximum value of spring tides in the of Mezen estuary reaches 9.8 m, in the neap tides—5.0 m; in the Kuloy estuary during of the spring tides is 10 m, in the neap tides—4.8 m. Tidal velocities during of the spring tides reach 2.5 m/s. The salinity of water in the estuaries of Mezen and Kuloy varies from 3.5 to 24.0 ups. The greatest values of turbidity are noted in the lower part of the estuaries during the low water and in the top of the studied estuaries in the high water. The maximum turbidity in the Mezen estuary reaches 56.3 kg/m3 during the low water due to the concentration of suspended sediments in the bottom horizon. In the surface horizon, even with a change in the direction of the flow and during the period of slack water, fine clay particles are not deposited to the bottom, but are in suspension. The turbidity of water in the surface horizon is stored in the range of 0.05–0.10 kg/m3. The increase in turbidity is facilitated by wind wave on the offshore and intense abrasion of the banks in the estuaries. The conditions for the economic use of the mouths of the Mezen and Kuloy rivers depend on the tides. Navigation can be carried out only during the period of high water, and requires taking into account the dynamics of the fairway. When designing the Mezen tidal power plant, it is important to know the areas of greatest sedimentation in the open and separate parts of the tidal basin. |
Keywords
estuaries,
hydrological regime,
water mixing zone,
suspended sediments,
maximum turbidity,
erosion-accumulation processes,
tidal flat
Supporting agencies: The study of the hydrological regime was carried out within the framework of the State Assignment to the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology no. FMWE-2021-0006. Analysis of the geomorphological data was carried out with the support of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (grant no. 20-05-00613), expedition was carried out with the support of the Russian Science Foundation (grant no. 18-05-60021).
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Review
For citations:
Demidenko N.A. Suspended Sediment Dynamics and Sedimentation Processes in Macrotidal Estuaries of Mezen and Kuloy. Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk. Seriya Geograficheskaya. 2022;86(6):1002–1022. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.31857/S2587556622060048
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