Wind Induced Circulation in Shallow Lakes

by Ian P. King, Univ of California, Davis, United States,
Parmeshwar L. Shrestha, Univ of California, Davis, United States,
Gerald T. Orlob, Univ of California, Davis, United States,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Hydraulic Engineering

Abstract:

Clear Lake is a relatively shallow lake in Northern California. Natural flows are small but at times they do transport heavy metals into the lake. In order to predict water quality constituent concentrations in the water column, water quality modeling simulations require an appropriate hydrodynamic description of the system. It is imperative that a hydrodynamic model be chosen that adequately reflects the hydromechanical behavior of the water body under the imposed stresses. The hydrodynamics of the water body influences transport parameters such as advection, dispersion, sedimentation, and other physico-chemical processes. Wind-induced circulation is one of the primary factors influencing circulation especially where the water body is confined with little stream flow as is typical of many lakes in Northern California. This study has been designed to investigate the sensitivity of the overall velocity distribution to the type if model approximation (i.e., whether two-or three dimensional) and to model parameters such as the vertical eddy viscosity coefficient. The objective is a better understanding of the appropriateness of these models for use as precursors to water quality models.

Subject Headings: Water quality | Water circulation | Lakes | Hydrologic models | Hydrodynamics | Wind engineering | Velocity distribution | California | United States

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