Variability of Currents and Water Column Structure in a Temperate Estuarine System (Sado Estuary, Portugal)

Abstract

The circulation in estuaries promotes the transport of organisms, nutrients, oxygen and sediments. Simultaneously, the mixture of fresh and salt water leads to variations of the physicochemical and biological components of the region. Therefore, it is important to further understand the hydrodynamic patterns of an estuary as one of the bases to understand the whole dynamic of these systems, ecologically important regions that must be preserved. However, little is known about the hydrodynamics of some estuarine systems. In order to bridge the knowledge gap about the Sado estuary, sampling was conducted with the purpose of evaluating some circulation patterns of the estuary and classifying it according to the stratification of the water column. The campaigns were conducted to collect monthly data on the intensity and direction of the currents, and on the temperature and salinity of the water column, between September 2018 and September 2019. The data indicated that water circulation in the Sado estuary, occurred through the two main navigation channels (North and South), according to the tidal regime. Both the temperature and the salinity were homogeneous along the water column, revealing little stratification. The analysis suggests possible hydrodynamic changes of the estuary in the past years.