Mathematical Modeling of Ice Thrusting on the Shore of the Vistula Lagoon (Baltic Sea) and the Proposed Artificial Island

Abstract

Coastal lagoons are inland and shallow water bodies, separated from the ocean by a barrier. In cold regions, ice phenomena in shallow water coastal lagoons occur every winter season. Ice is predominantly formed on the surface due to density stratification and surface cooling. The ice dynamics in such areas are dominantly affected by winds. Water dynamics also cause ice movement, but due to the large areal scale of lagoons, the effect is usually limited to the direct vicinity of river estuaries. For open lagoons, which are connected to the sea by straits, tides will also cause significant movement of the ice inside the lagoon. Due to the limitation of ice outflow from a lagoon, ice fields will form ridges or hummocks on the shores. In this paper, the case of the Vistula Lagoon, located on the southern Baltic coast, is analyzed. Currently, the project of a new strait connecting the Baltic Sea with the Vistula Lagoon is in progress. As an effect of extensive dredging for the waterway to the port of Elblag, the material will be disposed of at a Confined Disposal Facility (CDF), which will form an artificial island. The island will be located on the western part of the lagoon, limiting the cross-section by about 20%. In consequence, ice cover pushed by winds blowing along the lagoon will create significant force action on the island banks. The DynaRICE mathematical model has been used to evaluate the ice dynamics and to determine the force produced by the ice on the coasts of the lagoon and the artificial island.

Hydrodynamic Model of the New Waterway Through the Vistula Spit

“…If a strong variation in flow parameters is expected, fully hydrodynamic models should be used [16]. Many mathematical models of the Vistula Lagoon have been developed over the last decades, including two-dimensional (2D) hydrodynamic models [5] [4] [17], 2D models composed of hydrodynamics, water quality and eutrophication models [18] [19] [20], and recently developed three-dimensional models used for sediment transport and migration [21] [22]. However, the complex hydrodynamics inside the planned waterway through the Vistula Spit have not been simulated so far.…”

The Energy Potential of the Lower Vistula River in the Context of the Adaptation of Polish Inland Waterways to the Standards of Routes of International Importance

“…Fish passages are structures directly related to dams and classified in different groups, for instance, ladder and bypass channels. Artificial islands are important from the ecological aspect to provide suitable habitats for nesting birds [42][43][44]. All of the above-mentioned measures are of importance for the enhancement of environmental conditions in the Vistula River, and they will be widely implemented in the process of ecological remedy.…”

Effects of Groundwater Inputs to the Hydraulic Circulation, Water Residence Time, and Salinity in a Moroccan Atlantic Lagoon

“…Moreover, hydraulic circulation is critical for the majority of physical and biogeochemical activities in coastal and lagoon ecosystems [18]. Additionally, mathematical models are very useful to evaluate not only hydrodynamics, but also ice dynamics and its forcing on the coast of the study site as in [19].…”