Suspended sediment fluxes in the middle reach of the Bahía Blanca estuary, Argentina

PERILLO, G.M.E.; PIERINI, J.O.; PEREZ, D.E.; PICCOLO, M.C.

High Resolution Morphodynamics and Sedimentary Evolution of Estuaries

Springer

Lugar: The Netherlands; Año: 2005; p. 101 - 114

Puerto Galvan (Fig. 1) is one of the five harbors that form the Bahia Blanca Harbor System, the largest and deepest of Argentina. The harbors are all located along the Canal Principal of the Bahia Blanca Estuary, a mesotidal, coastal plain environment (Perillo, 1995) formed by a series of major NW-SE trending channels separating extensive tidal flats, low salt marshes and islands. The geomorphology and physical characteristics of the estuary are described in detail elsewhere (Perillo and Piccolo, 1999) including a recent review of its major environmental features (Perillo et al., 2000).The main economic activity of the harbor system is related to the export of agriculture products, especially grain, but in recent years there has been a marked increase in the export of oil, gas and, most commonly, petrochemical derivatives. In 1989-90 a major dredging operation augmented the nominal depth of the navigation channel and harbor sites to 13.8 m (45 ft) which induced an immediate increase in the economic activity of the harbors as larger vessels were allowed to enter into the system. Although the Canal Principal at Puerto Galvan has not registered significant sedimentation, some minor dredging to maintain some parts is required periodically. However, the docks require frequent dredging as sedimentation of fine materials is very active. The aim of the present article is to describe the tidal current circulation and fluxes of suspended sediment within a specific reach of the Canal Principal at Puerto Galvan and its interaction with the circulation and transport in and out the docks.