Oceanographic measurements and hydrodynamic modeling of the mouth of the Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, 2013

Dates

Start Date: 2013-05-09
End Date: 2013-06-16
Publication Date: 2017-06-30

Citation

Stevens, A.W., Gelfenbaum, G., MacMahan, J., Reniers, A.J.H.M., Elias, E.P., Sherwood, C.R., Carlson, E.M., 2017, Oceanographic measurements and hydrodynamic modeling of the mouth of the Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, 2013: U.S. Geological Survey data release, http://dx.doi.org/10.5066/F7NG4NS1.

Summary

During May and June of 2013, the U.S. Geological Survey in collaboration with Naval Post-Graduate School, the University of Miami, and Deltares USA, participated in the Office of Naval Research-funded River and Inlets Dynamics (RIVET II) experiment to investigate the hydrodynamics of the mouth of the Columbia River (MCR). The field experiment consisted of the collection of continuous oceanographic data at three moorings, shipboard surveys and Lagrangian drifter deployments to characterize spatial variability in hydrodynamics and water properties, and hydrographic surveys to characterize seafloor morphology in the MCR. These datasets were used to calibrate and validate a hydrodynamic model of the MCR, estuary, and adjacent coast. The [...]

Summary

During May and June of 2013, the U.S. Geological Survey in collaboration with Naval Post-Graduate School, the University of Miami, and Deltares USA, participated in the Office of Naval Research-funded River and Inlets Dynamics (RIVET II) experiment to investigate the hydrodynamics of the mouth of the Columbia River (MCR). The field experiment consisted of the collection of continuous oceanographic data at three moorings, shipboard surveys and Lagrangian drifter deployments to characterize spatial variability in hydrodynamics and water properties, and hydrographic surveys to characterize seafloor morphology in the MCR. These datasets were used to calibrate and validate a hydrodynamic model of the MCR, estuary, and adjacent coast.

The majority of field observations were made between Astoria and the North and South Jetties where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean (fig. 1). The RIVET II experiment was conducted between May 9, and June 16, 2013 during the peak discharge measured at Bonneville Dam for the 2013 water year (fig. 2). River discharge at the beginning of the experiment was approximately 10,000 m³/s and decreased to about 6,000 m³/s by the end of the field campaign. Wave heights measured offshore of the MCR during the experiment varied between 0.6 m and 3.9 m and dominant wave periods between 4 s and 20 s. Wind speeds recorded at the land-based weather station ASTO3 varied daily with maximum speeds of up to 12 m/s with variable directions throughout the RIVET II experiment.

Data Access

The data in this release are divided into separate categories including hydrodynamic modeling, Lagrangian drifter data, oceanographic time-series data from moorings, surface-sediment grain-size data, spatial surveys of water column currents and acoustic backscatter. Digital files containing the data from each of these categories generated during the RIVET II experiment and associated metadata are available for download from the child item pages listed below.

Figure 1. Maps of the study area. A, Map of the lower Columbia River from the Bonneville Dam (BD) to the Pacific Ocean. The location of Portland, Oregon (PDX) is provided for reference. B, Map of the Mouth of the Columbia River (MCR). The locations of the North Jetty (NJ), South Jetty (SJ) and Jetty A (JA) are provided on the map. Map projection is UTM Zone 10 North, km.

Figure 2. Environmental conditions during the RIVET II experiment. A, Time series of river discharge at the Bonneville Dam for water year 2013. The shaded area denotes the time period of the RIVET II experiment. B, Significant wave height measured at NDBC buoy 46248. C, Peak wave period and mean wave direction measured at NDBC buoy 46248. D, Wind speed measured at NDBC station ASTO3. E, Atmospheric pressure and wind direction measured at NDBC station ASTO3. See fig. 1 for the locations of measurement stations.

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Contacts

Point of Contact :: PCMSC Science Data Coordinator
Originator :: Andrew Stevens, Guy R Gelfenbaum, Jamie MacMahan, Ad Reniers, Edwin P Elias, Christopher R Sherwood, Emily Carlson
Metadata Contact :: PCMSC Science Data Coordinator
Publisher :: U.S. Geological Survey
USGS Mission Area :: Natural Hazards
SDC Data Owner :: Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Distributor :: U.S. Geological Survey - ScienceBase

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mcr_environmental.png		255.99 KB	image/png
mcr_overview_map2.png		3.51 MB	image/png

Purpose

Oceanographic measurements were collected and a numerical model was applied to investigate hydrodynamics in the mouth of the Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, in 2013.

Oceanographic measurements and hydrodynamic modeling of the mouth of the Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, 2013

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