Modeling Projects - North Puget Sound, Washington

Bellingham Bay Flushing Time

Knowledge of the time scale of aquatic processes is a precondition for most estuarine studies: studies that involve biologic populations, nutrients, dissolved gases, contaminants, suspended particles, temperature, or salinity are dependent on knowledge of water transport in the study domain.

In this work a procedure was established to make accurate and consistent estimates of flushing time and residual tidal flow of an estuary in Northern Puget Sound using a three-dimensional numerical circulation model. Model boundary conditions were configured for typical tidal cycles, wind stress, and freshwater stream inflow.

This work illustrates how a three-dimensional model can be used for detailed analysis of the flushing of stratified waters characteristic of estuaries.






Lake Whatcom Bathymetry and LIDAR

Lake Whatcom, located in Northern Puget Sound, Washington is the drinking water source for approximately 90,000 people. Portions of the lakeshore are fully developed and there is intense interest in its resources and physical properties.

This image combines the latest Bureau of Land Management bathymetric survey and recent Lidar data to illustrate the lake's striking features.





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