The Casamance estuary, located in southern Senegal, is a region of remarkable ecological, tourist and economic significance. It undergoes strong seasonal variations of salinity due to its reverse estuary nature during the dry season. This study aims to characterize tidal dynamics in the western part of the Casamance estuary, spanning from the river mouth to the town of Ziguinchor, during the dry season. Utilizing a three-dimensional, non-linear model with a high spatial resolution, we focused on simulating the tidal elevations and currents and evaluating them with sea level and current measurements both within the estuary and at its mouth. Whereas modelled tidal elevations agreed with observations, revealing eastward tidal propagation within the estuary, tidal currents near the river mouth and into the estuary were underestimated. The Eulerian residual circulation was mainly seaward whereas the Lagrangian residual circulation was significantly weaker due to compensation by the Stokes drift. This modeling study marks a crucial first step towards conducting comprehensive environmental impact assessments in the Casamance estuary, paving the way for a deeper understanding and preservation of this region.
Plan de classement
Sciences fondamentales / Techniques d'analyse et de recherche [020]
;
Limnologie physique / Océanographie physique [032]
;
Hydrologie [062]
