The currents in the Burlington Ship Canal were found to be the result of a variety of driving
mechanisms. Wind driven upwelling at the western end of Lake Ontario creates a horizontal
density gradient through the canal driving baroclinic currents. Wind initiated standing waves
and lunar tides in Lake Ontario cause water surface gradients through the canal driving
barotropic currents. The barotropic currents are also strongly affected by Helmholtz or
Harbour Resonance.
A water balance showed that baroclinic currents contributed more flow to the harbour than
stream flow and waste water treatment plant flow, particularly during periods of intense lake
upwelling. The water balance also showed that velocity observations from the Acoustic
Doppler Current Profiler were 19% less than predicted by the observed changes in Hamilton
Harbour water level. The influence of the side wall boundary is suspected as the source of
this difference.Applied Science, Faculty ofCivil Engineering, Department ofGraduat