Ship-wave Induced Sediment Transport
In Tidal Creeks
Author(s)
T. M. Ravens & R. Thomas
Abstract
During the summer of 2005, a tidal creek (\“Pine Gully”) within a few km of the
Houston Ship Channel (USA) was totally plugged up with a 200-m long and
1.5-m deep plug of silt and fine sand. The volume of the plug was about 1,800
cubic meters. The seaward end of the plug was about 200 m landward of the
creek’s inlet. Between November 2005 and January 2006, several hours of
measurements of velocity, pressure, and suspended sediment concentration were
taken in the creek about half way between the plug and the inlet. Field
observations and analysis of these data indicated ship-wave-induced surges of
water. These surges caused a net transport of about 0.44 cubic meters per ship of
suspended silt and fine sand toward the plug. This transport rate was sufficient
to explain the observed rate of accumulation of sediment in the plug over a 5-
month period. Cores of the plug indicated that the plug material (fine sand and
silt) was consistent throughout, suggesting a single pathway (from the bay).
During the period of plug formation, rainfall and creek discharge were relatively
low indicating a likely factor for the plugging.
Keywords: tidal creek siltation, ship-wave induced bores.
1 Introduction
Between May and August of 2005, a plug of fine sand and silt formed in Pine
Gully, a 3 km-long tidal creek by Houston Ship Channel in northwest Galveston
Bay (Figure 1). The plug completely blocked the flow of water from the
watershed, raising concerns about possible flooding. The seaward end of the plug
is about 300 m from the Pine Gully inlet (Figure 2) and the plug extends about
200 m. The plug also filled about 100 m of a tributary to the Pine Gully
Keywords
tidal creek siltation, ship-wave induced bores.
Related Book
Other papers in this volume
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