A Coupled Mathematical Water and Salt Balance Model of Flat Bay

Abstract

In coastal environment, the availability of good quality surface water draws significance because of salinity problems that mainly arise because of salt-water intrusion and tidal flow. The temporal extent of salinity and dynamics of surface water through a lake are basic information needed for water resources management. In this study, a coupled mathematical model for water and salt balance has been presented to simulate the bank storage, outflow and outflow salt concentration. The model has been applied to the lake Flat bay, situated on the northern side of Port Blair in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Water and salt budgets are used to predict the behaviour of this natural lake in terms of both quality and quantity. Convolution relation is used to simplify the mathematics of bay-bank interaction for estimating bank storage flow. Flow in and out of the aquifer at the bay bank is determined for the semi-infinite aquifer for different aquifer parameters to investigate the sensitivity of the bank storage flow. The model developed herein will be an efficient tool for appropriate development of coastal bays and reservoir regulation strategies to meet the fresh water demand in coastal areas and also to ensure appropriate management of water resources in terms of both quality and quantity.