ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to address a number of knowledge gaps related to salt intrusion, mixing and tides in multi-channel estuaries. The objectives of this research were formulated as: (i) to investigate and to develop a predictive steady state salt intrusion model for a multi-channel estuary; (ii) to develop a new method for estimating the distribution of freshwater discharge over the branches of a multichannel estuary; (iii) to analyse characteristics of tidal waves in multi channel estuaries; and (iv) to develop a theory analysing effects of tidal pumping caused by residual ebb-flood channel circulation on salinity distribution in multi-channel estuaries and to propose a new analytical equation quantifying the 1-D effective salt dispersion coefficient for the tidal pumping mechanism. With the results presented in the previous chapters, these objectives have been met. As a result, a number of conclusions and recommendations have been formulated, which are presented below.
