A simplified process‐based approach for evaluating onshore sandbar migration is presented in this study. This approach takes wave‐averaged parameters as input and computes sediment transport processes using a reconstructed intra‐wave orbital velocity signal. The proposed method guarantees good predictive skills for multiple onshore sandbar migration cases without an ad hoc calibration for each scenario. The study differs from previous onshore sandbar migration models, where calibration and testing are performed on just one or few events, and model assessment for uncalibrated realizations is rarely carried out. The present version of the model only addresses onshore sandbar migrations. For the onshore migration cases analyzed, the model has better predictive skills than state‐of‐the‐art morphodynamic models (XBeach and Unibest‐TC).

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Residence time is an important parameter linked to the water quality in an estuary. In this paper, we identify and analyze the main processes that affect the residence time of the Caloosahatchee River Estuary, a micro-tidal and mixed diurnal-semidiurnal estuary located in western Florida. Multiyear validated hydrodynamic hindcast results were coupled with an offline particle tracking model to compute the residence time of the estuary, which showed a strong seasonality driven by the river discharge. The residence time reduced with increasing river flow. The wind velocity and direction also affected the residence time. The influence of the wind was dependent on the magnitude of the river discharge. In general, upstream-directed wind increased residence time, while downstream-directed wind decreased residence time. Downstream wind during the dry period reduced residence time on average by a week. Processes such as water density gradient-induced circulation and particle buoyancy also influenced the residence time of the estuary. The outcomes of this study can be used to better understand the influence of the main physical processes affecting the residence time at other similar estuaries and to help in the management of the estuaries to improve their water quality.