Werkgroep O&M - Projectgroep Veiligheid: Sub project 1. Data analysis and hypothesis - Lower Sea Scheldt

During the past centuries the tidal regime of the Scheldt estuary has seriously changed. This is due to different natural processes and human interventions in the estuary. An important question for the safety management in the Scheldt estuary is how the safety level changes on a long term, taking into account the historical and present human impacts (such as poldering, enlargement, etc.) and natural changes (sea level rise). An important aspect from viewpoint of safety management is the change of the high water levels during the coming decades. The changes in hydrodynamics and morphology of the estuary are related to each other.Within this report an analysis of both tidal and topo-bathymetric characteristics in the Lower Sea Scheldt since 1900 has been performed. The historical evolution of tidal parameters (high and low water levels, tidal range, duration of rising and falling, celerity of tidal wave) and topo-bathymetric parameters (hypsometric curves, channel volumes, volumes above intertidal areas) was investigated. For these tidal and topo-bathymetric characteristics several relationships were analysed. Long term evolutions show both similar as opposing trends for the investigated geographic sections (i.e. Parts of the estuary between water level stations) in the Lower Sea Scheldt

Shallow - shallower - shallowest: morphological monitoring Walsoorden

In 2001, an expert team appointed by the Antwerp Port Authority proposed a new strategy for disposing dredged material, as part of a strategy for managing the morphology of the Western Scheldt estuary. Extensive research carried out by Flanders Hydraulics Research - including physical scale-modelling, numerical simulations and field measurements - indicated that the proposed strategy would likely be successful. The final step to investigate the feasibility was the execution of a full-scale in situ test in view of modifying the shape of the ‘Walsoorden’ shoal. This paper describes the morphological monitoring program in detail. As far as known, the extreme project specifications were never realised before