MORPHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE RIF AND THE ENGELSMANPLAAT, AN INTERTIDAL FLAT COMPLEX IN THE FRISIAN INLET, DUTCH WADDEN SEA

Zheng Bing Wang, Albert P. Oost

Abstract


The Rif and the Engelsmanplaat form together a supra- to intertidal flat-complex at the fringe of the ebb-tidal delta and the back barrier area in the Frisian Inlet, located between the Dutch Wadden Sea Islands Ameland and Schiermonnikoog. The complex divides the Frisian Inlet into the Pinkegat Inlet in the west and the Zoutkamperlaag Inlet in the east. During the last decades the Engelsmanplaat has been suffering from serious erosion. This paper presents a study meant to find the causes for the recent erosion, especially to answer the question if the erosion is related to the human interferences in the area. The study is based on literature survey, data analysis and modelling of hydrodynamic processes. It is concluded that the recent erosion fits into the pseudo-cyclic development of the intertidal flat complex. However, the period of erosion may have been longer than normal and the rate of erosion may have been higher than normal. It is also concluded that such abnormal development is probably effects of the closure of the Lauwerszee in 1969 and not due to land subsidence caused by gas mining.

Keywords


Intertidal flats, Wadden Sea; Land subsidence; Closure; Morphology; Long-term development

References


Dastgheib, A., J.A. Roelvink and Z.B. Wang, 2008, Long-term Process-based Morphological Modeling of the Marsdiep Tidal Basin, Marine Geology, doi:10.1016/j.margeo.2008.10.003 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2008.10.003

De Bok, C., 2001, Long-term morphology of the Eastern Scheldt, Werkdocument RIKZ/2002.108x.

Hayes, M.O., 1979, Barrier island morphology as a function of tidal and wave regime, in Leatherman, S.P. (ed.), Barrier Islands from Golf of Lawrence to the Golf of Mexico, Acad. Press, New York, pp 1-27. PMid:117268

Hibma A, de Vriend H.J, Stive M.J.F. 2003, Numerical modelling of shoal pattern formation in wellmixed elongated estuaries. Estuar. Coast. Shelf Sci. 57:981–91.http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0272-7714(03)00004-0

Mulder, J.P.M. and T. Louters, 1994, Changes in basin geomorphology after implementation of the Oosterschelde estuary project, Hydrobiologia, 282/283: 29-39. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00024619

Oost, A.P., 1995, Dynamics and sedimentary development of the Dutch Wadden Sea with emphasis on the Frisian Inlet, A study of the barrier islands, ebb-tidal deltas inlets and drainage basins, Doctoral thesis, Utrecht University.

Stein, R.C., 1991, Some considerations on tidal inlets, A literature survey on hydrodynamic and morphodynamic characteristics of tidal inlets with special attention to "Het Friesche Zeegat", Report H840.45, WL | Delft Hydraulics.

Van der Wegen, M., Z.B. Wang, H.H.G. Savenije and J.A. Roelvink, 2008, Long-term morphodynamic evolution and energy dissipation in a coastal plain, tidal embayment, Journal of geophysical Research, Vol. 113, F03001, doi:10.1029/2007JF000898,2008.http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2007JF000898

Van Goor, M.A., M.J.F. Stive, Z.B. Wang, T.J. Zitman, 2003, Impact of sea level rise on the morphological stability of tidal inlets, Marine Geology, Volume 202, issues 3-4, pp.211-227.

Van Veen J. 2005 (1950). Ebb and flood channel systems in the Netherlands tidal waters. J. Coast. Res. 21: 107-120

Wang, Z.B., Louters, T. and H.J. de Vriend, 1995, Morphodynamic modelling for a tidal inlet in the Wadden Sea, Marine Geology, 126 (1995), 289-300. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0025-3227(95)00083-B

Wang, Z.B. en W.D. Eysink, 2005, Abiotische effecten van bodemdaling in de Waddenzee door gaswinning, Rapport Z3995, WL | Delft Hydraulics.


Full Text: PDF

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.