Residual circulation and freshwater transport in the Dutch Wadden Sea: a numerical modelling study

Strong southwesterly winds can significantly alter the flushing time of freshwater in the Dutch Wadden Sea, inverting residual transport patterns through tidal inlets and across watersheds. This finding emerges from a three-dimensional numerical modeling study using the General Estuarine Transport Model (GETM), which analyzed tidal prisms, residual flows, and freshwater pathways with high resolution (200 m horizontally). The model demonstrated that wind-induced variability can surpass the influence of tides on flushing processes, challenging previous assumptions about the dominance of tidal inlets. Additionally, the Terschelling watershed was found to play a more critical role in freshwater transport than previously recognized, while the Vlie Inlet's importance was diminished. The study, spanning 2009–2010, validated its results against observational data for sea surface height, temperature, salinity, and transport, underscoring its reliability.

Duran-Matute, M., Gerkema, T., de Boer, G. J., Nauw, J. J., & Gräwe, U. (2014). Residual circulation and freshwater transport in the Dutch Wadden Sea: a numerical modelling study. Ocean Science, 10(4), 611–632. https://doi.org/10.5194/os-10-611-2014