Bifurcations in tidally influenced deltas distribute river discharge over downstream channels, asserting a strong control over terrestrial runoff to the coastal ocean. Whereas the mechanics of river bifurcations is well-understood, junctions in tidal channels have received comparatively little attention in the literature. This paper aims to quantify the tidal impact on subtidal discharge distribution at the bifurcations in the Mahakam Delta, East Kalimantan, Indonesia. The Mahakam Delta is a regular fan-shaped delta, composed of a quasi-symmetric network of rectilinear distributaries and sinuous tidal channels. A depth-averaged version of the unstructured-mesh, finite-element model second-generation Louvain-la-Neuve Ice-ocean Model has been used to simulate the hydrodynamics driven by river discharge and tides in the delta channel network. The model was forced with tides at open sea boundaries and with measured and modeled river discharge at upstream locations. Calibration was performed with water level time series and flow measurements, both spanning a simulation period. Validation was performed by comparing the model results with discharge measurements at the two principal bifurcations in the delta. Results indicate that within 10 to 15 km from the delta apex, the tides alter the river discharge division by about 10% in all bifurcations. The tidal impact increases seaward, with a maximum value of the order of 30%. In general, the effect of tides is to hamper the discharge division that would occur in the case without tides.

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.[1] Channel geometry in tidally influenced river deltas can show a mixed scaling behavior between that of river and tidal channel networks, as the channel forming discharge is both of river and tidal origin. We present a method of analysis to quantify the tidal signature on delta morphology, by extending the hydraulic geometry concept originally developed for river channel networks to distributary channels subject to tides. Based on results from bathymetric surveys, a systematic analysis is made of the distributary channels in the Mahakam Delta (East Kalimantan, Indonesia). Results from a finite element numerical model are used to analyze the spatial variation of river and tidal discharges throughout the delta. The channel geometry of the fluvial distributary network scales with bifurcation order, until about halfway the radial distance from the delta apex to the sea. In the seaward part of the delta, distributary channels resemble funnel shaped estuarine channels. The break in morphology, which splits the delta into river-and tide-dominated parts, coincides with a break in the ratio between tidal to fluvial discharges. Downstream hydraulic geometry exponents of the cross-sectional area show a transition from the landward part to the seaward part of the delta. The numerical simulations show that the tidal impact on river discharge division at bifurcations increases with the bifurcation order, and that the variation of river discharge throughout the network is largely affected by the tides. The tidal influence is reflected by the systematic variation of downstream hydraulic geometry exponents.

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