Shift of Extreme River Discharge in Seawater and Freshwater Estuaries under the Changing Climate 

Estuaries are unique coastal regions where a river meets a large open body of water.  Recent studies show that changing climate can dramatically affect the flow dynamics and ecosystems of estuaries.  For example, observed global mean sea levels have risen steadily over the past century and are projected to increase into the future. These changes in downstream water levels affect the slope of estuarine rivers, yielding a shift in discharge patterns.  In addition, episodes of heavy precipitation show upward trends and global climate models predict tropical storm rainfall will increase under a changing climate, creating abnormal estuary discharge.  While the importance of changing climate in estuaries is recognized, our ability to quantify estuarine river discharge during extreme precipitation events like typhoons and thunderstorms is hindered by a lack of reliable and sustainable measurement techniques. The overall goal of the research is to examine the estuary/river hydrographs and peak discharge in relation to storm event category, precipitation, and duration to determine how the estuary responds to different levels of high-flow events.  To effectively measure river/estuarine discharge under extreme weather conditions, we are developing  an Automated River Discharge Imaging System (ARDIS).  We will use ARDIS to measure the discharge of the Danshui River (Estuary) in Taiwan and Yahara River (Estuary) in Wisconsin during high-flow events, such as typhoons or thunderstorms. These extreme measurements would allow us to better understand of the impacts of changing climate on estuaries.          Sponsor :                   NSF                  Water Resources Agency MOEA                  Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation                                  Status :   Active Student Investigators:  Adam Bechle (M.S.), Wei-Bo Chen (Ph.D.), W.C. Huang (M.S.)  Collaboartors: Professor Wen-Chung Liu and Dr. Nobuaki Kimura                                                             Publications Liu, W.C., Lee, C.H., Wu, C.H., Kimura, N. Modeling diagnosis of suspended sediment transport in tidal estuarine system. Environmental Geology, 57(7), 1661-1673, 2009. Liu, W.C., Chen, W.B., and Wu, C.H., Modelling effects of realignment of Keeling River, Taiwan. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers Maritime Engineering, 161, MA2, 73-97, 2008. Liu, W.C., Chen, W.B., Kuo, J.T., and Wu, C.H., Numerical determination of residence time and age in a partially mixed estuary using three-dimensional hydrodynamic model, Continental Shelf Research, 28(8), 1068-1088, 2008. Development of an Automated River Discharge Imaging System (ARDIS) in high discharge flows. 2008.                                                                                                           Back