2a. From Bays to Ocean: Port Phillip Bay 2-3 December 2007

Aim

Transects of water quality and currents taken either side of the Great Sands from bay to ocean entrance to assess structure and mixing for a hyper-saline bay. Information will provide validation and calibration data for developed numerical hydrodynamic and dispersion models of Port Phillip Bay.

Logistics

ADCP (1200KHz-EPA)

CTD (SBE19+ - EPA)

ADCP mounting to Pelican (EPA/Pelican)

Winching system on Pelican (Pelican)

 

Personnel

Randall Lee

Plan

Following tide ~20km transects taken on both ebb and flood tide (start to end of tide flow period). 10-16 CTD stations every 1-2 kms (~2 hours); ADCP continuous at ~6knots (2hours).

 

  Sampling transect across the Great Sand to the bay entrance will be undertaken on ebb and flood tidal flows to assess exchange processes for the bay in presently hyper-saline conditions (higher salinity than the ocean) due to the prolonged drought.
2b. From Bays to Ocean: Western Port 5-6 & 10 December 2007

Aim

A two-week deployment of current and water quality instruments will obtain tidal flows to update information from physical bay studies of the 1970’s. A focus on flows off the NE mudflats will be accompanied by sediment measurements to ground-truth EPA’s predictive models.

 

Logistics

2 current meters 1200KHz ADCP (EPA, MAFFRI)

2 CTDs (Hydrolabs - EPA)

1 Benthic chambers (MAFFRI)

2 Bottom mounted moorings (EPA, MAFFRI)

Vessel support for deployment & recovery (MAFFRI)

Personnel

Randall Lee

Andy Longmore

Plan

Two current meter and WQ moorings positioned to cover drainage interface with the northern mudflat region (as shown below). Deployment on 5/6 Dec by SV Pelican, recovery 20-21 Dec with MAFFRI support vessel.

Neap-spring-neap periods: 23 Nov to 8 Dec; or 5-21 Dec; 23 Dec – 8 Jan.

 Mooring locations and deployment of an ADCP mooring