Salinity-Various Flow Characteristics Investigation in an Identical Meandering Channel

Abstract

Estuaries are one of the most productive ecosystems in the world, providing significant resources for humans and animals. However, the influence of various rainfall patterns due to climate change has affected the estuarine system, leading to changes such as salinity intrusion. This study aims to verify how river discharge changes affect salinity mixing within a meandering channel and the effect of flow patterns due to curvature. An experimental hydraulic investigation was conducted at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) Johor Bahru. The cross-sectional profiles along the meandering channel are discussed in this paper. The findings prevailed as a typical characteristic of the salt-wedge estuary and indicated the process of estuarine mixing. As the saltwater flow upstream, the salinity level drops due to the dilution process. Additionally, the greater density of seawater compared to freshwater causes it to remain in the lower layers of the water column. The flow pattern in curvature is influenced by the velocity of the inner and outer banks, where velocity has been seen to be higher at the outer bank, allowing the salinity to flow quickly near the inner bank. The present study will be useful in predicting the estuarine salinity response to river inflow.