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Understanding the alterations in spatial–temporal water level dynamics caused by natural and anthropogenic changes is essential for water resources management in estuaries, as this can directly impact the estuarine morphology, sediment transport, salinity intrusion, navigation conditions, and other factors. Here, we propose a simple triple linear regression model linking the water level variation on a daily timescale to the hydrodynamics at both ends of an estuary. The model was applied to the upper Yangtze River estuary (YRE) to examine the influence of the world's largest dam, the Three Gorges Dam (TGD), on the spatial–temporal water level dynamics within the estuary. It is shown that the regression model can accurately reproduce the water level dynamics in the upper YRE, with a root mean squared error (RMSE) of 0.061–0.150 m seen at five gauging stations for both the pre- and post-TGD periods. This confirms the hypothesis that the response of water level dynamics to hydrodynamics at both ends is mostly linear in the upper YRE. The regression model calibrated during the pre-TGD period was used to reconstruct the water level dynamics that would have occurred in the absence of the TGD's freshwater regulation. Results show that the spatial–temporal alterations in water levels during the post-TGD period are mainly driven by the variation in freshwater discharge due to the regulation of the TGD, which results in increased discharge during the dry season (from December to March) and a dramatic reduction in discharge during the wet-to-dry transitional period. The presented method to quantify the separate contributions made by changes in boundary conditions and geometry to spatial–temporal water level dynamics is particularly useful for determining scientific strategies for sustainable water resources management in dam-controlled or climate-driven estuaries worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the alterations in spatial-temporal water level dynamics caused by natural and anthropogenic changes is essential for water resources management in estuaries, as this can directly impact the estuarine morphology, sediment transport, salinity intrusion, navigation conditions, and other factors. Here, we propose a simple triple linear regression model linking the water level variation 5 on a daily timescale to the hydrodynamics at both ends of an estuary. The model was applied to the Yangtze River estuary (YRE) for examining the influence of the world's largest dam, the Three Gorges Dam (TGD), on the spatial-temporal water level dynamics within the estuary. It is shown that the regression model can accurately reproduce the water level dynamics in the YRE, with a root mean squared error (RMSE) of 0.063-0.151 m seen at five gauging stations for both the pre- and post-TGD periods. This confirms the hypothesis that the response of water level dynamics to hydrodynamics at both ends is mostly linear in the YRE. The regression model calibrated during the pre-TGD period was used to reconstruct the water level dynamics that would have occurred in absence of the TGD's freshwater regulation. Results show that the spatial-temporal alterations in water levels during the post-TGD period are mainly driven by the variation in freshwater discharge due to the regulation of the TGD, which results in increased discharge during the dry season (from December to March) and a dramatic reduction in discharge during the wet-to-dry transitional period. The presented method to quantify the separate contributions made by changes in boundary conditions and geometry on spatial-temporal water level dynamics is particularly useful for determining scientific strategies for sustainable water resources management in dam-controlled estuaries worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the alterations in spatial-temporal water level dynamics caused by natural and anthropogenic changes is essential for water resources management in estuaries, as this can directly impact the estuarine morphology, sediment transport, salinity intrusion, navigation conditions, and other factors. Here, we propose a simple triple linear regression model linking the water level variation 5 on a daily timescale to the hydrodynamics at both ends of an estuary. The model was applied to the Yangtze River estuary (YRE) for examining the influence of the world's largest dam, the Three Gorges Dam (TGD), on the spatial-temporal water level dynamics within the estuary. It is shown that the regression model can accurately reproduce the water level dynamics in the YRE, with a root mean squared error (RMSE) of 0.063-0.151 m seen at five gauging stations for both the pre- and post-TGD periods. This confirms the hypothesis that the response of water level dynamics to hydrodynamics at both ends is mostly linear in the YRE. The regression model calibrated during the pre-TGD period was used to reconstruct the water level dynamics that would have occurred in absence of the TGD's freshwater regulation. Results show that the spatial-temporal alterations in water levels during the post-TGD period are mainly driven by the variation in freshwater discharge due to the regulation of the TGD, which results in increased discharge during the dry season (from December to March) and a dramatic reduction in discharge during the wet-to-dry transitional period. The presented method to quantify the separate contributions made by changes in boundary conditions and geometry on spatial-temporal water level dynamics is particularly useful for determining scientific strategies for sustainable water resources management in dam-controlled estuaries worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing the impacts of both natural (e.g. tidal forcing from the ocean) and human-induced changes (e.g. dredging for navigation and land reclamation) on estuarine morphology is particularly important for the protection and management of the estuarine environment. In this study, a novel analytical approach is proposed for the assessment of estuarine morphological evolution in terms of tidally averaged depth on the basis of the observed water levels along the estuary. The key lies in deriving a relationship between wave celerity and tidal damping or amplification. For given observed water levels at two gauging stations, it is possible to have a first estimation of both wave celerity (distance divided by tidal travelling time) and tidal damping or amplification rate (tidal range difference divided by distance), which can then be used to predict the morphological changes via an inverse analytical model for tidal hydrodynamics. The proposed method is applied to the Lingdingyang Bay of the Pearl River Estuary, located on the southern coast of China, to analyse the historical development of the tidal hydrodynamics and morphological evolution. The analytical results show surprisingly good correspondence with observed water depth and volume in this system. The merit of the proposed method is that it provides a simple approach for understanding the decadal evolution of the estuarine morphology through the use of observed water levels, which are usually available and can be easily measured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing the impacts of both natural (e.g., tidal forcing from the ocean) and human-induced changes (e.g., dredging for navigation, land reclamation) on estuarine morphology is particularly important for the protection and management of the estuarine environment. In this study, a novel analytical approach is proposed for the assessment of estuarine morphological evolution in terms of tidally averaged depth on the basis of the observed water levels along the estuary. The key lies in deriving a relationship between wave celerity and tidal damping or amplification. For given observed water levels at two gauging stations, it is possible to have a first estimation of both wave celerity (distance divided by tidal travelling time) and tidal damping or amplification rate (tidal range difference divided by distance), which can then be used to predict the morphological changes via an inverse analytical model for tidal hydrodynamics. The proposed method is applied to the Lingdingyang Bay of the Pearl River Estuary, located on the southern coast of China, to analyse the historical development of the tidal hydrodynamics and morphological evolution. The analytical results show surprisingly good correspondence with observed water depth and volume in this system. The merit of the proposed method is that it provides a simple approach for understanding the decadal evolution of the estuarine morphology through the use of observed water levels, which are usually available and can be easily measured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]