![]() The depths are relatively shallow, so that mixing of at least moderate magnitude extends to the depths. The Chesapeake estuary is a drowned river and it is partially mixed. In addition, the fourteen tidal elevation stations and seven tidal current stations are indicated (see Table 1 for details). Figure 1 shows the location of Chesapeake Bay in accordance with “NOAA Tides and Currents”. The basin contains more than 150,000 stream miles (241,500 km) in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Delaware. Nearly 50 rivers, with thousands of tributary streams and creeks, drain the approximately 64,000 mi 2 (166,000 km 2) forming the Chesapeake Bay Basin. The main stem is entirely within Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay “main stem”, defined by tidal zones, is approximately 195 mi (315 km) long and 3.5 to 35 mi (5.6 to 56 km) wide, and has a surface area of nearly 4,400 mi 2 (11,601 km 2). The Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries are the best studied estuaries in the world. It has been recognized that environmental quality factors are directly dependent on the tides in the Bay. The analysis approach could also be used as a source of reference for basic tidal study in other tide-affected field.Ĭhesapeake Bay encountered a severe environmental suffering during past a few decades, due to nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment pollution. Tidal prism was figured out using cubature method. Amplitude and phase of the selected major constituent, form factor, phase difference between tide elevations and currents at a few tidal elevation stations within Chesapeake Bay were calculated. ![]() Sediment distribution of Chesapeake Bay was briefly described and discussed. General knowledge of location, geometry, tides, freshwater inputs, wind, salinity, etc in Chesapeake Bay was described. Tidal elevation, currents and salinity data of Chesapeake Bay from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) were retrieved, and analyzed to understand Chesapeake Bay tide. The tidal characteristics in Chesapeake Bay were assessed in this paper using basic tidal hydraulic analysis. The basic knowledge of tidal characteristics in Chesapeake Bay is a prerequisite to understand the tidal processes in Chesapeake Bay. Keywords: Chesapeake Bay, Tidal Characteristics 1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Mississippi State University, Starkville, USAĢUS Army Corps of Engineers, Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory–ERDC, Vicksburg, USAĮ-mail: Janurevised Maaccepted May 7, 2010 ![]()
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