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Deploying a Microstructure Profiler in Corpus Christi Bayby Cédric H. David, M.S.E. and Ben R. Hodges, Ph.D. ABSTRACT The construction of a water desalination plant is being considered near Corpus Christi Bay TX, as a demonstration initiative funded by the State of Texas to determine whether desalination is a practical approach to obtaining a drought-proof water supply. Desalination plants discharge brine (hypersaline water) in the process of creating fresh water. Existing hypersaline water inflows to Corpus Christi Bay from adjacent waters are suspected to enhance density stratification in the water column. Stratification is often correlated with hypoxia. Therefore the desalination brine could possibly affect the development of hypoxia. There remains an open question as to whether disposal of desalination brine into Corpus Christi Bay would have negative ecological effects. Corpus Christi Bay hypoxia has been documented, but its physical causes have not been clearly identified. There is a need to understand the physical conditions leading to temporary stratification and hypoxia in a bay which is generally vertically mixed and has no long duration dissolved oxygen problems. To investigate stratification on short time scales, measurements were taken at two different areas in Corpus Christi Bay (near Oso Bay and Laguna Madre) using a variety of instruments (microprofiler, weather stations, water quality profiler, etc.) during four field trips that were conducted during the summer of 2005. The present thesis investigates the short-time scale physics of density currents entering Corpus Christi Bay from the adjacent upper Laguna Madre. There are two principal objectives to this work: 1) document the temporal and spatial behavior of salinity and temperature near the outlet of Laguna Madre where hypoxia has previously been recorded; and 2) develop new data processing, display and analysis methods for the SCAMP microstructure profiler. Note that this research project is not intended to provide conclusive demonstration that high-salinity density currents are directly linked to hypoxia, but is instead building the foundations for future analysis of this problem. The highlighted links that follow are connected to Adobe pdf files of the corresponding material. To view them you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader 3.0. View the Report...(5751 KB)
These materials may be used for study, research, and education, but please credit the authors and the Center for Research in Water Resources, The University of Texas at Austin. All commercial rights reserved. Copyright 2002 Center for Research in Water Resources. |
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