The effect of interacting downstream branches on saltwater intrusion in the Modaomen Estuary, China

In recent years, the increased pressure of saltwater intrusion in the Modaomen Estuary, one of the outlets in the Pearl River Delta (PRD), China, has threatened the freshwater supply for the surrounding regions. The estuary has complex geometry and bathymetry and branches into three waterways, Madaomen Waterway, Hongwan Waterway, and Hezhou Waterway, entering into the coastal sea. In this study, a three-dimensional baroclinic model (EFDC) was used to investigate salt transport among these branches and saltwater intrusion in the mainstem of the estuary. The salt transport at selected cross sections was decomposed into three components: advection, steady shear, and tidal oscillatory, following the method of Lerczak et al. (Lerczak, J.A., Geyer, W.R., Chant, R.J., 2006. Mechanisms driving the time-dependent salt flux in a partially stratified estuary. Journal of Physical Oceanography 36, 2296–2311). Results from this study indicate that the Hongwan Waterway serves as a salt source for the mainstem of the estuary, especially during spring tides, while the Hezhou Waterway mainly acts as a salt sink for the mainstem. The down-estuary wind increases the steady shear transport in the Modaomen Waterway and the advection transport in the Hongwan Waterway, which alters the saltwater intrusion in the estuary. Closure of the Hongwan and the Hezhou Waterways could result in a 20% decrease of saltwater intrusion in the estuary. These results provide scientific basis for water resource management in the region.

► The Modaomen Estuary branches into three waterways into the coastal sea.
► The Hongwan Waterway acts as a salt source for the mainstem of the estuary.
► The Hezhou Waterway is a salt sink for the mainstem of the estuary.
► Closure of two branches could shorten saltwater intrusion length by 20%.
► Salt transport at the mainstem resembles mostly to that at the Modaomen Waterway.