Numerical Simulation of the tidal effects on estuarine circulation in the San Juan Bay

The regional oceanic modeling system ROMS has been implemented in San Juan Bay, Puerto Rico, to investigate quantitatively the mixing processes and as a forecast tool to support emergency planning and resource management in the area. The response of the San Juan Bay circulation to both river discharges and tidal forcing has been investigated. A hind-cast simulation is performed and compared with time series measurements and hidrographic data to validate the model. Sensitivity studies to turbulence mixing parameterization have been carried out under different forcing scenarios. A simulation without river outflow but forced with tidal constituents along the open boundaries is performed. Good agreement has been found with coastal observations with amplitudes gauges and modeled amplitudes constituents. A numerical experiment of the response of the Bay's circulation to river discharge only is performed and compared with the tide plus river forcing and tidal forcing only scenarios. Salinity distributions and vertical mixing are affected by the proximity to deep waters of the San Juan Bay Estuary, also the bulge region and plume structure in the entrance of San Juan Bay are highly affected by the bottom friction for the case with tide forcing.