Model Setup

We have developed numerical model using Delft3D, a 3-dimensional modeling suite for hydrodynamics, sediment transport and morphology, and water quality for estuarine and coastal environments. A curvilinear orthogonal grid was created with grid size ranging from 9 m in the inlet to 385 m in the coastal area and with 5 sigma layers. The grid represents coastline from Hillsboro Inlet to South Lake in Hollywood Beach.

Left: Model domain (Red rectangular box). Right: Zoomed model domain at Port Everglades. (Google Earth)

Left: Model grid (subsampled one per three grid lines). Right: Detailed grid for Port Everglades

Offshore Boundary Conditions

The model is driven by water elevation time series that includes tides and lower frequency sea level oscillations, and meteorological forcing. Temperature, salinity and sea surface elevation along north, south and east open boundaries were derived from HYCOM and NCODA Gulf of Mexico 1/25° Analysis. Meteorological forcing (relative humidity, air temperature, wind forcing, heat flux, evaporation and precipitation) was derived from North American Mesoscale Forecast system (NAM).

Temperature and salinity profile at East1 boundary node

Model Validation

Model results for water level timeseries were compared with data from buoy near Port Everglades. There is a good match between model results and buoy data for water level timeseries with small difference in amplitude but very good match between phases. Correlation comparison is well over 90%. Salinity. temperature, and currents from simulation results were also compared with measured data. These comparisons showed good match with observed data. Following figures show these comparisons.

Water level timeseries comparison between model and measured data at Port Everglades

Real Time Forecast

Parameters Predicted

• Water level
• Salinity
• Temperature
• Currents

3 days of timeseries forecast of waterlevel, salinity, temperature, surface current for the following stations has been provided.

• South Port Everglades(A)
• Port Everglades Inlet(B)
• New River(C)
• Hillsboro inlet (D)

Waterlevel forecast at (A)Port Everglades Inlet on left and (B)South Port Everglades on right

Waterlevel timeseries forecast at (C)New River on left and (D)Hillsboro Inlet on right

Salinity, Temperature forecast at (A)Port Everglades Inlet on left and (B)South Port Everglades on right

Slainity, Temperature timeseries forecast at (C)New River on left and (D)Hillsboro Inlet on right

Surface current forecast at (A)Port Everglades Inlet on left and (B)South Port Everglades on right

Surface current timeseries forecast at (C)New River on left and (D)Hillsboro Inlet on right

Water level and Surface Current forecast map

Salinity and Surface Current forecast map

Developed by

Ahsan Habib, PhD Candidate

Dr. Gary Zarillo, PhD

Dept of Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences