THE EROSION OF A SALT WEDGE TRAPPED BEHIND A BARRAGE ACROSS AN ESTUARY

Abstract

The problems associated with the stratification of fluids, particularly in estuaries, are of growing concern. Based on water quality problems which occurred at the River Lagan, N. Ireland, an experimental investigation was undertaken into the fluid mixing process within a stratified flow. High quality temporal measurements have been used to examine the processes of erosion of a saline stratification trapped behind a barrage. Two distinct mechanisms of wedge erosion have been identified, both of which involve the formation of a mixed layer.