Abstract Deltaic systems are composed of distributary channels and interdistributary islands. While previous work has focused either on the or islands, here we study hydrological exchange between islands point at its important role in delta morphology ecology. We focus our analysis Wax Lake Delta coastal Louisiana (USA) characterize surface water component connectivity through measurements discharge hydraulic tracer propagation. find that deltaic zones significant flux as 23–54% incoming...

Hurricanes are recurring high-energy disturbances in coastal regions that change community structure and function of mangrove wetlands. However, most the studies assessing hurricane impacts on mangroves have focused negative effects without considering positive influence hurricane-induced sediment deposition associated nutrient fertilization productivity resilience. Here, we quantified how Hurricane Irma influenced soil pools, vertical accretion, plant phosphorus (P) uptake after its passage...

This review synthesizes the knowledge regarding environmental forces affecting water level variability in coastal waters of Mississippi River delta and relates these fluctuations to planned river diversions. Water vary significantly across temporal spatial scales, are subject influences from flow, tides, vegetation, atmospheric forcing, climate change, anthropogenic activities. Human impacts have strongly affected other deltas worldwide. Collectively, research reviewed this article is...

Abstract Deltas are sensitive indicators of coastal processes (e.g., waves and tides) show dynamic changes in shoreline morphology, distributary channel network, stratigraphic architecture response to forcing. Numerical modeling has long been used delta evolution associated with a single dominant process, but rarely examine the sensitivity deltas mixed processes. Physics-based morphodynamic simulations (Delft3D) investigate influence tidal currents on deltas. Tidal amplitude sand:mud ratio...

Abstract The exposure time is a water transport scale defined as the cumulative amount of parcel spends in domain interest regardless number excursions from domain. Transport scales are often used to characterize nutrient removal potential aquatic systems, but distribution estimates scarce for deltaic systems. Here we analyze controls on distributions using hydrodynamic model two domains: Wax Lake delta Louisiana, USA, and an idealized channel‐island complex. In particular, study effects...

Abstract Shipping fairways in estuaries are continuously dredged to maintain access for large vessels major ports. However, several worldwide show adverse side effects dredging activities, particular affecting morphology and ecologically valuable habitats. We used physical scale experiments, field assessments of the Western Scheldt estuary (the Netherlands), morphodynamic model runs analyse future stresses (climate sediment management) on a multi-channel system its intertidal flats. All...

Abstract Hydrological connectivity in coastal deltas is important for delivering flow, sediment, and nutrients to the island interiors. The roughness of vegetation limits connectivity, but how spatial distribution vegetation? Using hydrodynamic modeling, we test influence vegetated percent cover, patch size, stem density on discharge‐fraction allocated islands an idealized delta complex, modeled after Wax Lake Delta. We find that heterogeneity has negligible effects when relatively sparse...

The hydrological connectivity between channels and floodplains is modulated by vegetation system geometry plays a crucial role in determining the water transport timescale (WTT) river deltas. It well known that deltas dynamically respond to many drivers including sea level rise, sediment composition, discharge, conditions, but less understood how WTT changes throughout delta's morphological evolution. In this study, reduced-complexity model called pyDeltaRCM used examine effects of...

Understanding the feedback mechanisms between water, sediment, and vegetation in deltaic systems is crucial for advancing ecosystem restoration face of accelerating land loss sea-level rise coastal zones. Delta morphology a key driver ecological resilience, influencing habitat formation capacity ecosystems to withstand climate-related stressors. As sediment diversions become focal strategy restoring landscapes, there an urgent need predict how these interventions will shape future...

Recent field work at the Wax Lake Delta (WLD) in coastal Louisiana indicates lateral outflow from channels to islands upstream of receiving basin; this region delta flow transitions confined unconfined (i.e., a uniform discharge profile nonuniform profile). The hydraulics transition zone and controls exerted by vegetation, topography, river fluctuations are analyzed work. shallow water equations numerically solved two model domains: an idealized channel-island complex full domain WLD. In...

Abstract River deltas form where sediment‐laden water debouches into a basin. The spatial delineation of delta is nontrivial and yet fundamental to systematically evaluating fluxes across its surface. Here we study shoreline dynamics the Wax Lake Delta (WLD), naturally developing delta, downstream Atchafalaya River, USA. We demonstrate ability extract hydrodynamic morphodynamic shorelines from time series satellite imagery topography data, respectively. corresponds traditional dry‐wet...

Shoal margin collapses of several million cubic meters have occurred in the Western Scheldt estuary, Netherlands, on average five times a year over last decades. While these involve significant volumes material, their effect channel-shoal morphology is unknown. We hypothesize that dynamicize interactions, which could impact ecological functioning, flood safety, and navigation estuary. The objective to investigate how locations, probability, type, volume shoal collapse affect dynamics....

Atmospheric cold fronts can periodically generate storm surges and affect sediment transport in the Northern Gulf of Mexico (NGOM). In this paper, we evaluate water circulation spatiotemporal patterns induced by six atmospheric front events Wax Lake Delta (WLD) coastal Louisiana using 3-D hydrodynamic model ECOM-si. Model simulations show that channelized inter-distributary flow is significantly impacted fronts. Water volume throughout deltaic channel network not just constrained to main...

The effects of passing atmospheric cold fronts with different orientations and moving directions on the hydrodynamics Wax Lake Delta (WLD) were analyzed by considering influence river discharge, front direction, wind magnitude, Coriolis effect. study employs numerical simulations using Delft-3D model an analytical to explore water volume transport, level variations, circulation, particle trajectories during nine events. Results indicate that cause a decrease in average contribution transport...

Abstract During summer and fall 2023, Louisiana experienced a historic local drought while dry conditions elsewhere in the central US withheld vital runoff from Mississippi River, leading to below‐normal discharge into Gulf of Mexico. Thus, by late October was gripped two super‐imposed water crises: severe saltwater contamination River channel. This study frames development emergency through lens flash using Evaporative Demand Drought Index (EDDI). The EDDI shows south experience during June...

Automatic extraction of channel networks from topography in systems with multiple interconnected channels, like braided rivers and estuaries, remains a major challenge hydrology geomorphology. Representing channelized as provides mathematical framework for analyzing transport In this paper, we introduce mathematically rigorous methodology software extracting network topology geometry digital elevation models (DEMs) analyze such estuaries rivers. Channels are represented links, while...

Summary Estuaries host channel networks that can range from meandering single‐thread channels to complex comprising looping, branching, and offshoot structures through which water, sediment, nutrients are transported in both the flood ebb directions. In this article, we use graph theory quantify structural dynamical connectivity of multidirectional estuarine using network analysis techniques rooted have proven useful for quantifying river deltas. Networks several estuaries around world...

Atmospheric cold fronts are frequently occurring perturbations to the northern Gulf of Mexico coastal region. Given low-lying elevations in this region and connectivity between distributary channels deltaic wetlands, nonlinear interplay frontinduced storm surge tidal oscillations likely important hydrodynamic processes regulating circulation sediment dynamics. This study uses Delft3D Flexible Mesh numerical modeling suite assess water level fluctuations resulting from non-linear interaction...

Atmospheric frontal passage is a common meteorological event that can significantly affect hydrodynamics in coastal environments, including the hydrological connectivity between channels and floodplains regulates material transport river deltas. This study focused on influence of atmospheric cold fronts within Wax Lake Delta using Delft3D FM model. The results demonstrate substantial effect passing exchange water fraction primary floodplains. impact intricately connected to morphodynamical...

Channels in rivers and estuaries are the main paths of fluvial tidal currents that transport sediment through system. While network representations multi-channel systems their connectivity quite useful for characterisation braiding patterns dynamics, recognition channels properties is complicated because large bed elevation variations, such as shallow shoals steps render visually disconnected. We present analyse two mathematically rigorous methods to identify channel networks from a terrain...