Fluidodynamic processes related to the sediments transport in the estuary of the Quequén Grande River, Argentina

PEREYRA, M.G.; LASTRA, G.L.; MARINO, B.M.; THOMAS, L.P.; ALBERDI, E.; PERILLO, G.M.E.

Santa Fe

Congreso; River, Coastal and Estuarine Morphodynamics: RCEM 2009; 2009

Universidad Nacional del Litoral

Velocity and backscatter distributions and salinity and temperature measurements in the last 3 km of the estuary of the Quequén Grande River are analyzed and related to the movement of sediments. The river is located southeast of Buenos Aires Province (Argentina) and presents a meandering pattern which ends in the sea through a microtidal coastal-plain primary estuary with semidiurnal tides. The estuary morphology is substantially modified by the continuous dredging that provides deep water conditions for the harbour activities. Thus, a 12 m depth is kept throughout the last 2 km whereas further upstream the thalweg has a depth of 3–4 m, giving place to an artificial step that separates the estuary in two parts affected by the tide in different way. The measurements were made after the occurrence of a southeastern strong local wind known as ‘‘sudestada’’ that caused an unusual increase of the tide level and intense particular currents.