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Current and suspended sediment measurements on the central California continental shelf

Conference ·
OSTI ID:5344903
; ;  [1]
  1. Battelle/Marine Sciences Lab., Sequim, WA (USA)
The US Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco District (USACE), is evaluating the suitability of sites for ocean disposal of dredged material from several projects in the San Francisco Bay area. In conjunction with those efforts, the USACE maintained current meter moorings at two candidate disposal sites (Sites B1B and 1M) on the California continental shelf. Optical backscatterance (OBS) sensors mounted on these moorings near the sea bed were used to determine suspended sediment concentrations. The initial deployments at Site 1M (42 m) and Site B1B (86 m) occurred in April 1988; data were recovered in June and September 1988, and January 1989. Final instrument recovery was scheduled for May 1989, and the program should provide a full year of information on tidal and low-frequency shelf currents and near-bed suspended sediment concentrations. This is a preliminary report of the data from the 86-m site. The data showed evidence of strong vertical coherence in the currents, net southward flow at all depths during upwelling season, frequent flow reversals in fall and winter, and more frequent resuspension of sediment during the winter months. 9 refs., 5 figs., 2 tabs.
Research Organization:
Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
Sponsoring Organization:
DOD
DOE Contract Number:
AC06-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
5344903
Report Number(s):
PNL-SA-17111; CONF-8909128--6; ON: DE90002676
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English