The frequency and severity of extreme weather-related episodic events have increased in recent years. These ephemeral events have been shown to dramatically change water column conditions in affected aquatic systems. Impacts of a representative storm event in New York's Hudson River (HR) and Estuary (HRE) are evaluated. Hurricane Irene struck the United States Atlantic Coast in August 2011with heavy rainfall throughout the HR watershed as it moved inland. Using automated sensor systems, the River and Estuary Observatory Network characterized the watershed impacts of this event on hydrodynamics, and sediment transport in the HRE. Recorded data showed dramatic increases in stream discharge (e.g., from 110 to 3300 m3/s at Cohoes, NY), especially in the upper HR, and changes in hydrodynamic conditions throughout the HRE (e.g., an order of magnitude increase in water current velocities, continuous downstream flow irrespective of tidal stages). Storm-related sediment load represented a major portion of the estimated total annual load. Contribution of episodic events to mobilization and transport of sediment-bound contaminants (e.g., polychlorinated biphenyl) from the HR superfund site was demonstrated through observed changes in suspended sediment size distribution and rapid increases in bed shear stress (e.g., from 0.2 to 4.4 N/m2 at Fort Edward, NY). Strong, Irene-induced flood currents prevented sediment resuspension normally associated with flood tides in estuarine river reaches. This study provided critical insight with respect to hydrodynamic and sediment dynamic variability during episodic events for improved transport modeling and impact evaluation of the HRE.
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