Imminent reversal of the residual flow through the Marsdiep tidal inlet into the Dutch Wadden Sea based on multiyear ferry-borne acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) observations

A significant reversal of the residual flow through the Marsdiep tidal inlet, connecting the Dutch Wadden Sea to the North Sea, has been observed. This shift from export to import is attributed to changes in tides driven by increased stratification due to global warming. The finding is based on nearly 13 years of ferry-borne acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) data, combined with earlier observations spanning 1998–2009. The study suggests that the residual flow may fully reverse to inflow within this decade, potentially impacting sediment budgets and ecosystems in the western Wadden Sea.

van der Molen, J., Groeskamp, S., & Maas, L. R. M. (2022). Imminent reversal of the residual flow through the Marsdiep tidal inlet into the Dutch Wadden Sea based on multiyear ferry-borne acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) observations. Ocean Science, 18(6), 1805–1816. https://doi.org/10.5194/os-18-1805-2022