Storm surge barriers reduce seaward sediment supply to lagoonal estuaries
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Abstract
Numerical simulations with realistic forcing of fixed infrastructure for a proposed storm surge barrier for a lagoonal estuary, Jamaica Bay (New York, USA), are analyzed during typical forcing conditions to assess alterations to flow and sediment transport with the barrier open. Lagoonal estuaries are shallow and have modest watershed freshwater and sediment inputs, so sediment delivery is primarily from offshore by tidal transport. The storm surge barrier infrastructure across the inlet channel reduces cross-sectional area and increases tidal velocities, increasing frictional and form drag. The overall reduction in tidal amplitude is about 1%, but the quarterdiurnal M4 component decreases by 11%. The salinity and stratification in the estuary are only slightly modified by mixing by stronger velocities near the barrier. Sediment transport in the inlet scales approximately with tidal velocity cubed and net landward transport is driven by flood-dominant tidal asymmetry. Additionally, tidal asymmetry in the jet flow through barrier openings causes a divergence in sediment transport within several kilometers. The alterations to the tidal currents reduce sediment import to the bay by 20% for fine sand; transport of sediment with slower settling velocities is less affected, with reductions of 3% for medium silt and <1% for fine silt. The study examined tidal exchange with an open barrier, but the overall impact also depends on barrier operations during major storm events. The impacts of barrier infrastructure on lagoonal estuaries are distinct from other estuary types due to their modest freshwater input, predominance of tidal transport, and offshore sediment supply.
Suggested Citation
Ralston, D.K., Orton, P.M., Warner, J., and Kasaei, S., 2026, Storm surge barriers reduce seaward sediment supply to lagoonal estuaries: Earth's Future, v. 14, no. 5, e2025EF007875, 16 p., https://doi.org/10.1029/2025EF007875.
Study Area
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Storm surge barriers reduce seaward sediment supply to lagoonal estuaries |
| Series title | Earth's Future |
| DOI | 10.1029/2025EF007875 |
| Volume | 14 |
| Issue | 5 |
| Publication Date | May 13, 2026 |
| Year Published | 2026 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | American Geophysical Union |
| Contributing office(s) | Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center |
| Description | e2025EF007875, 16 p. |
| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| Other Geospatial | Jamaica Bay |