HomeMy WebLinkAboutA Theoretical Investigation Kachemak Bay by Bradlkey Lake 1981=:.-.
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A THEORETICAL INVESTIGATION OF THE POTENTIAL MODIFICATION OF ICE
FORt4ATION IN KACHEMAK BAY BY THE BRADLEY LAKE HYDROELECTRIC POWER
PROJECT
J. P. Gosi nk
and
T. E. Osterkamp
Fi na 1 report of r ·esearch performed under contract number
OACA 89-81-K-0001
for the
U.S. Army
CRREL
Hanover. N.H.
ABSTRACT
Construction of the Bradley Lake hydroelectric facility is expected
to result in substantially increased winter discharge of fresh water into
Kachemak Bay. This study assesses the expected changes in ice production
associated with that increase.
A thermodynamic model of ice production in the bay has been devised .
which simulates the rate of fee production as a function of net surface
heat loss, the added heat from relatively warm water discharge at the
tailrace, and the effects of mixing on freezing point depression. The
model was combined with prevailing environmental and oceanographic condi-
tions and with present information regarding the Bradley Lake Power
Project.
Ice production rates were found to be sensitive to the fresh water-
sea water mixing conditions at the head of the bay. Three cases were
examined: complete mixing, no mixing and mixing or dilution as measured
in the studies of Colonell (1980) and Knull (1975). The latter case
represents a best estimate in the sense that it includes the appropriate
fresh water dilution rates, mixing conditions, predicted heat losses,
and fresh water lens area for the projected winter operation of the
facility. It is concluded, based on this information and the thermodynamic
model, that the projected winter ice production due to discharge from
the hydroelectric power system is expected to decrease relative to present
winter fee production due to discharge from the Bradley River.
i
INTRODUCTION
The Alaskan Power Administration designated the Bradley Lake-Bradley
River system as being suitable for hydroelectric power development in its
1974 survey of potential hydroelectric sites in Alaska (Alaska Regional
Profiles, 1977). Bradley Lake is located on the east side of the head of
Kachemak Bay at an elevation of 1090 feet. It discharges into the Bradley
River which flows into the head of Kachemak Bay. The proposed power plant
will be located near tidewater suggesting at least a 1000 foot head. Discharge
will be channeled into a small unnamed creek = l/2 mile I~E of Sheep Point.
Kachemak Bay is one of the major fisheries in the Cook Inlet Managment
Area. Fishermen live primarily at Homer and on the east side of the bay.
In the past, ice formation in the bay has occasionally caused problems for
the fishermen apparently by impeding boat traffic and by damaging port and
dock facilities (Bredthauer, personal communication).
Substantially increased water discharge may be expected during winter
operation of the Bradley Lake hydroelectric facility. Construction of a
dam at Bradley Lake is required to insure the maintenance of hydro-potential
during the winter months when peak electrical demand is expected. r~ximum
electrical power can then be maintained by increasing the discharge from
the lake through the turbines. According to the Alaska Corps of Engineers
(Bredthauer, personal communication}, a maxi~um regulated discharge of
1400 cfs may be expected during severely cold weather. This contrasts
with present unregulated winter discharge, which ranges from 40-100 cfs.
The net ice production in the upper bay should be related to the fresh
water input from several rivers which discharge into the bay, including
Bradley River, Fox River, and Sheep Creek. These rivers contribute to
the total ice production, first by the discharge of frazfl fee in the river
l
water which may amount to 10\ or more of the total discharge,. second, by
the mixing with ambient salt water which raises the freezing point of the
mixed water, and finally, by interfacial ice production which occurs when
a lens of fresh water overlies colder salt water. Since these ice production
mechanisms are all related to the winter discharge of fresh water and that
discharge may be expected to increase substantially, as noted above, then
there is a potential for an increase in ice production, associated with the
hydroelectric development, in Kachemak Bay. However, the possibility of
increased ice production is not so straightforward to assess as the above
considerations would suggest because of the fact that the increased winter
discharge from Bradley Lake will be warm water (probably about +3 to +4°C).
The purpose of this study is to assess the expected changes in ice
production in Kachemak Bay caused by the increased winter discharge of
relatively warm fresh water from the Bradley Lake Power Project. The general
approach will be to combine models of ice production with prevailing
environmental and oceanographic conditions and with present information
available on the Bradley Lake Power Project. The study will be restricted
to the upper portion of Kachemak Bay, that portion above Homer Spit.
Background information concerning ice production and movement in
Kachemak Bay has been summarized in a recent report by Gatto (1981). In
the present study, a conceptional model of ice production in the bay is
formulated. Three possible cases have been included: complete mixing of
the fresh water discharge and sea water, no mixing (spreading of a fresh
water lens}, and an estimate based on measured salinity and mixing condi-
tions. The analysis has required that estimates be made of several para-
meters, including the temperature of the outflow at the tailrace, the
2
expected extent of a fresh water lens~ and the heat transfer associated
with interfacial ice production.
These values have been obtained from appropriate laboratory and field
studies. For the worst case, that of no mixing, we have used limiting
values of the parameters in order to establish a maximum ice production
rate.
3
PREVIOUS RESEARCH AND PHYSICAL SETTING
Since the Alaskan Power Admfn1station designated Bradley Lake as a
potential hydroelectric power site, there have been a number of studies
of the Kachemak Bay area which are particularly relevant to the problems
associated with hydroelectric development.
One of the most recent of these is the study of dispersion in
upper Kachemak Bay by Colonell (1980). The dispersion and dilution of a
slug of dye over several tidal cycles was followed using Rhodamine WT dye
as a tracer. Dispersion was found to be dominated by the tides, which
have a range of no less than 11 feet near the mouth of Kachemak Bay.
Colonell (1980) also described damming of Bradley River water during the
incoming flood tide, followed by rapid mixing during the next tidal cycle.
Within two tidal cycles, it was found that the mixing was virtually complete.
Gatto (1981) summarized historical evidence of ice formation and
circulation as recorded in Landsat imagery. Most of the ice in the Inner
Bay formed at the mouths of the Fox and Bradley Rivers and Sheep Creek.
Wind and currents coupled with the Coriolis force tend to move the ice
southwestward along the north shore toward Coal Bay and Homer Spit. Table
1 lists the dates of ice observations (Gatto, 1981), the type of ice obser-
vation and the average wind speeds and air temperatures for the day of the
ice event and the previous day.
The meteorological data describing Kachemak Bay were gathered from the
Local Climatological Data of NOAA for Homer 1968-1980. The average dai1y
minimum winter temperature during this period are plotted in Figure 1. The
average minimum temperature for these years was consistently greater than
5°r. The coldest winter of the 1968-1980 period occurred in 1972 (Figure
4
Table 1: Ice observations in Kachemak Bay (Gatto, 1981) and average wind
speed and air temperatures measured at Homer for the same day
and the previous day.
ICE AVERAGE WINO AVERAGE AIR
DATE OBSERVATION SPEED (mph) TEMPERATURE (°F)
Same Previous Same Previous
Day Day Day Day
8 Mar 73 Possible ice 4.8 1.3 31 30
stringer from
Coal Bay
Possible ice
accumulation
in Coal Bay
4 Mar 74 Ice on tidal 14.2 21.9 9 22
flat
Ice stringer
north of Homer
Spit
22 Mar 74 Ice on tidal 5.2 9.4 37 40
flat
26 Jan 76 Ice build-up 6.5 12.1 36 35
in Coal Bay
24 Feb 76 Fast ice in 3.6 6.6 12 16
Coal Bay
5 Feb 79 Ice in Coal Bay; 10.9 11 9
possible ice
floes in head of
bay
6 Feb 79 Ice in Coal Bay 8.3 10.9 9 11
and along north
shore of bay
7 Feb 79 Ice in Coal Bay 16.5 8.3 7 9
14 Feb 79 Ice along north 14.2 8.2 6 9
shore; shorefast
ice in Coal Bay
out to Coal Point
23 Feb 79 Ice along north 4.3 5.8 20 18
shore; degrading
shorefast ice in
Coal Bay
5
2). A minimum temperature of -l8°F was recorded on January 10, 1972. It
appears that cold spells of less than -4°F are uncommon, and of short
duration, in general, less than 4-5 days.
The daily average wind velocity over the 1968-1980 period is plotted
in Figure 3. Winds rarely exceeded 10 mph at Homer during this period;
however, it is likely that much stronger winds exist near the head of the
bay. During a field trip to Homer on February 24, 1981, severe winds and
heavy gusting were encountered over the mouth of the Bradley River during
two reconnaissance flights. It is likely that severe winds are character-
istic of the head of Kachemak Bay due to the local topography which is
favorable for both katabatic winds and winds driven by the venturi effect.
Katabatic winds would tend to channel down the steepest portions of the
Bradley River basin, increasing water surface heat losses and frazii ice
production. Construction of the tunnel for the hydroelectric facility
would divert the Bradley River eliminating it or reducing its importance
as a source of frazil ice. Downstream of the tailrace, strong winter
winds should help to mix the fresh water with the ambient water of the
bay.
Earlier studies of circulation and mixing processes in Kachemak Bay
include those by Knull (1975), Wright (1975) and Burbank (1977). These
reports tend to confirm the circulation studies of Gatto (1981), at least
in a general sense, of counterclockwise circulation in upper Kachemak Bay.
Knull (1975) has provided useful information on tidal exchange rates
in the bay, which suggests that the mixing half life for river water is
13.5 days. Knull (1975) also reported that a July, 1969, study of fresh
water content in the bay indicated a 5.7~ fresh water content. This corres-
ponds to a reduction in average salinity of sea water entering and leaving
6
the bay from 31.6 parts per thousand (ppt) to 30 ppt. These numbers are
in reasonable agreement with the measured salinities given by Wright (1975),
where summer water ·sal i n1 ties ranged from 25-28 ppt at the surface to
about 31.5 ppt at the bottom.
Bradley River discharge statistics were compiled by Carlson et al.
(1977) and by Knull {1975) and are also reported in the studY by Colonell
(1980). Of significance to the present investigation is the relative
contribution of Bradley River to the fresh water input into the bay during
winter. Colonell (1980) suggests that the Bradley River contributes one-
fourth of the fresh water inflow to Kachemak Bay. All of the earlier
mentioned studies conclude that the Bradley River discharge is mainly con-
trolled by glacial melt (i.e. by temperature) and hence reaches its minimum
value in mid to late winter. Typical discharge values during this time
range from 40-100 cfs. Regulation of the river for hydroelectric power
production, in contrast, may raise the winter discharge to as much as 1400
cfs (Bredthauer, personal communication).
7
THERMODYNAMIC MODELS AND CALCULATIONS
General Considerations
Estimates of the rates and accumulations of ice in Kachemak Bay are
at best deductions reached from theoretical analyses. Empirical evidence
to support these deductions is limited. The objective is to devise
conceptional models of ice production in the bay based on the available
information regarding the mixing processes and thermodynamics of the fresh
water-sea water-ice system.
Ice in Kachemak Bay can be a result of ice discharge from the rivers
and streams flowing into the bay, anchor ice growth on the tidal flats,
sheet ice growth and frazil ice growth. Frazil ice can be formed directly
from sea water, in a lens of fresh water floating over colder sea water
and from a mixture of sea water and fresh water. Ice discharge from the
rivers flowing into the bay may consist of frazil ice, sheet ice and
anchor ice. The amount of fee discharged into the bay by the rivers will
not be affected by the Bradley Lake project except for the Bradley River.
Since Bradley Lake appears to be the primary source of water for the river
it is thought that the ;ce discharge from the river will be negligible
once the Power Project is ;n operation. Thus, the Bradley Lake Power
project will probably eliminate or substantially reduce the ice discharge
from the Bradley River into the bay.
Anchor ice growth on. the tidal flats could be increased by the
operation of the pow'r project. However, there is no information available
on this fee production mechanism. In addition, it is thought that the
anchor ice would remain fixed in place until warm weather and/or warm
water melted its bonds to the sea bed. If it were to become mobile at
this time then it would be expected to melt rapidly in the warm water of
8
the bay. Therefore, no attempt will be made to analyze this mode of ice
production in the bay in greater detail.
Very little sheet ice is thought to form in the bay except possibly
in protected areas along the shores. Photographs supplied to us by Mr.
s. Bredthauer suggest that most of the ice photographed in the bay during
the 1980-81 winter was floating frazil ice. It does not appear that
sheet ice growth will be changed by the fresh water discharge from the
power project.
The frazil ice mode of ice production in the bay appears to be the
only way in which present ice production rates could be significantly
altered by a hydroelectric facility with a winter discharge much larger
than the present discharge.
Several factors may be expected to affect frazil ice production in
the bay. These include dilution of salt water with fresh water, tempera-
ture of the fresh water, degree of mixing or stratification, lateral
spreading from the fresh water source as well as others.
The temperature of the fresh water discharge from the power project
is not known at this time. However, water temperature measurements made
at the Eklutna power station and the Bennett Dam (British Columbia)
suggest that a discharge temperature of +3 to +4•c may be expected.
Temperature profiles (Fig. 7, 8 and 9) obtained in the present Bradley
Lake (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) under an ice cover also suggest that
+3 to +4•c would be a good estimate of the water discharge temperature.
Another factor of some importance is the stratification of the mixed
water. Present data from the Corps of Engineers and Colonell {1980)
yield information about high flow -low stratification {summer) conditions,
and low flow -high stratification (winter) conditions. The projected
9
regulation of river flow could result in high flow -high stratification
conditions during peak demand periods associated with severly cold weather.
Since a density difference of about 3S may be expected9 the fresh water
may tend to stratify as a surface layer over the more saline bay water.
Existing three dimensional models of horizontal buoyant discharges
are presently limited to physical conditions described by simple temporal
and spatial boundary conditions. A partial listing of these models may
be found in Table 2. The second column in Table 2 specifies model type,
whether integral or numerical. Column three specifies whether the effects
of stratification are included in the analysis of dispersion. It should
be noted that none of the models consider the transient case, and none
consider tidal effects. The reason for this omission is straightforward.
The discharge of a buoyant flow into an even partially enclosed basin is
basically elliptic (i.e. downstream velocity and temperature conditions
affect upstream conditions). Thus, a numerical solution can only be
found by iteration on assumed boundary conditions. If a transient, or
tidal case were to be considered, this would require successive iterations
for each time step, a prohibitally expensive procedure.
The dispersion studies of Colonell (1980) and of Knull (1975) in
Kachemak Bay clearly show that tidal mixing is the dominant dispersion
mechanism. This conclusion might well be anticipated by noting the 5 m
tidal range at Homer. Knull (1975) suggests that this tidal range amounts
to 10% of the total volume of the bay.
Accordingly, rather than attempt to predict dilution rates, we have
devised a model which includes the mixing term as a parameter in the
problem. Thus, measured dilution rates, as determined by Colonell (1980)
or Knull (1975), may be used directly in the model. The transient problem
10
Table 2 HOrizontal buoyant jet models
Investigator
Stolzenbach &
Harleman (1971)
Prych ( 1972)
Spraggs & Street
(1977)
Waldrop & Farmer
( 197 3)
Gos ink {1979)
McGuirk & Rodi
( 1 978)
Type
integral
integral
numerical
numerical
numerical
numerical
11
Stratification
included
yes
yes
no
no
yes
yes
of tidal effects on dilution is bypassed by considering only long-term
dilution over several tidal cycles.
Dilution of salt water with fresh water can significantly affect
the formation of ice in the bay. Mixing of the fresh water in the
ambient saline water facilitates the formation of ice by raising the
freezing point of the mixed water. The importance of dilution rates of
salt water with fresh water may be illustrated by considering two limiting
cases. First, consider complete and immediate mixing of salt water with
fresh water. In this instance the fresh water to sea water ratio is
extremely small, or dilution is infinite and there is no alteration in
the freezing point of the bay water. Consequently, the ice production
rate is identical to that ocurring in "pure" sea water (i.e. it is un-
affected by the presence of the fresh water).
The other limiting case occurs when there is no mixing of fresh water
with salt water. This may be visualized as the spreading of a lens or
thin layer of fresh water over the surface of the bay. In this instance,
there is heat loss from the fresh water surface layer both to the air
above and to the underlying relatively cold salt water (at -l.8°C).
Martin (1981) and McClimans (1978) have discussed the latter form of
heat transfer. McClimans (1978) suggests that when there is no relative
motion between the fresh water and the underlying salt water there is a
predictable rate of heat loss from the warmer to the cooler layer. The
heat transfer between moving layers of water may be expected to be greater
than the conductive heat transfer associated with two layers of water
with no shear. However, no theoretical model has been devised to predict
heat loss when there is relative motion between the upper and lower
layers. Heat transfer from the upper surface of the fresh water due to
12
ambient air conditions will produce ice at a faster rate than the rate
at which ice is formed in pure sea water. This is due to the 1 .8°C
freezing point depression of salt water. Hence, the spreading of a thin
layer of fresh water over the surface of the bay is a limiting case
probably yielding the maximum rate of ice production. We consider this
limiting case in some detail subsequently.
In reality, dilution of the fresh water with bay water is neither
infinite nor negligible. It is in fact relatively fast, and dominated by
tidal processes as indicated by the dispersion studies of Colonell (1980).
Thus, it is necessary to consider a wide range of mixing conditions
ranging from negligible to complete. We have attempted to do this through
a mixing model which allows for a wide range of dilution rates. In
particular, we shall consider three cases: negligible mixing, complete
mixing and an estimate based upon the dilution measurements of Colonell
(1980) and Knull (1975).
Since the model is one based on a control volume and long term steady
state approach, it describes the net ice production rates under equilibrium
conditions.
While it is recognized that this type of quasi-steady state analysis
will not answer the question of transient ice formation in the immediate
vicinity of the tailrace, it does provide insight into the far-field ice
conditions, particularly the ice production and flow rate past Homer or
into Coal Bay. In a subsequent section we address the problem of near-
field ice production over time scales less than one tidal cycle. The
first analysis provides the long term and/or far-field ice production
rate. An important point to note is that the far-field ice production
rate is the critical control parameter for the bay, since, even if local
13
ice production is significant, by the second law of thermodynamics, the
net ice production is controlled by far-field conditions.
Thermodynamic model of ice formation in Kachemak Bay
Consider the conservation of mass and energy for water flow into and out
of Kachemak Bay. Assume that some mixing of fresh and salt water does
occur, that there is surface heat loss due to ambient air conditions, that
no ice is discharged into the bay from the rivers, and that a long term
steady state condition is found to exist (over several tidal cycles).
It is also assumed that conditions are 11 Suitablen for ice formation in
the control volume (i.e., the nucleation temperature of the water has
been attained and sufficient nuclei are available to nucleate ice in the
water) or that some ice already exists in the control voluMe. In the
first case, the model describes the ice growth and in the second case,
ice growth or melting. Precipitation fn the form of snow and rain
and enthalpy changes caused by heat flow from the sea bed to the control
volume (or possibly heat flow into the sea bed in the tidal flats) are
not included in the model. The vertical temperature profile in the
control volume is assumed to be constant. Then an integrated control
volume analysis over the inner bay (above Homer) may be described as
follows:
Figure 4. Mass balance in the bay
14
mfw • mass flux of fresh water entering the bay [kg/s]
msw = mass flux of "pure" sea water entering the bay [kg/s]
This mass flux represents the net sea water entering the bay to
mix with river water over several tidal cycles • .
msw' = mass flux of mixed fresh and sea water leaving the bay [kg/s]
mi = mass flux of fee leaving the bay [kg/s]
For a steady state condition, conservation of mass implies:
{1)
Figure 5 depicts the flow of thermal energy into and out of the bay.
For long term conservation of energy, assume that kinetic and potential
energy changes are negligible.
QA
Figure 5. Thermal energy conservation in the bay.
15
hfw
hsw
hsw
hi
Q
q
A
AL
=
2
=
=
=
=
=
=
enthalpy of fresh water entering the bay [kJ/kg]
enthalpy of sea water entering the bay [kJ/kg]
enthalpy of mixed fresh and sea water leaving the bay [kJ/kg]
enthalpy of ice leaving the bay [kJ/kg]
surface heat flux (kJ/s-m2]
interfacial heat flux from fresh to salt layer [kJ/s-m2]
surface area of the bay [m2]
surface area of fresh water lens [m 2]
For a steady state condition, conservation of energy requires:
mfw hfw + msw hsw = Q A+ q AL+ mi h; + msw hsw (2)
Note that the interfacial heat transfer does not transport heat
across the boundaries of the volume, and therefore is not normally included
in a control volume approach. However, it is included here for two
reasons. First, the lower layer or the water basin is effectively an
infinite sink for heat flux from the upper layer, i.e •• the relative heat
loss from the surface is much more important than the relative corresponding
heat gain to the lower layers. Second, the inclusion of interfacial heat
loss in thfs form increases the net ice production rate assuring that the
ice production rate will be a conservative estimate. By solving equation .
(1) for msw and substituting into equation (2), we find:
16
m
i
•
Rate of
ice pro-
duction
.
QA + qAL
I
Ice production
due to heat loss
across top and
bottom surfaces
+ msw x
II
Ice decay
due to entering
warm fresh water
hsw -hsw
( 3)
III
Ice production
due to raising
the freezing point
of sea water
The rate of ice growth or melting is controlled by three terms: . .
I) (QA + qAL}/{hsw-hi) This term represents ice production
due to surface heat flux. Note that hsw -h; • 80 kcal/kg
is the latent heat of fusion in sea water. Ice production
proportional to Q in the bay occurs even when there is no
fresh water influx (i.e. it is the rate of ice production in a
basin of sea water for cold ambient air temperatures). (Methods
of assessing Q as a function of air temperature and wind velocity
are discussed subsequently). Ice production proportional to
q occurs only when a fresh water lens overlays a saline water
basin at a temperature less than o•c . .
II) -mfw (hfw -hsw>l(hsw -hi) This term represents ice melting
due to the intrusion of relatively warm water. The term is negative
whenever hfw-hsw > 0, i.e., whenever the enthalpy of the entering
fresh water is higher than that of the mixed fresh and sea water.
For example, if the sea water is at -1.8•c and the fresh water at
4•c, then this term becomes -mfw (5.8/80) defining the net melting rate
of ice due to the added warm fresh water. The term may be positive,
indicating added fee formation if hfw < hsw but this does not appear
to be a physically interesting case.
17
III msw (hsw-hsw)/(hsw-hi) This term represents ice production
associated with the entrainment of fresh into sea water, raising
the freezing point of the sea water. The amount of sea water
whic~ is mixed with fresh water defines the amount by which the
freezing point of the sea water is elevated. In other words,
hsw -hsw• the net change in sea water enthalpy, increases
when the mixing process is incomplete, and decreases as more
sea water is entrained into the fresh.
Obviously, if ice is present in the bay and term II exceeds the sum of terms
I and III then the ice will melt.
Determination of the net surface heat loss
Heat losses from the water surface to the atmosphere occur as a
result of net radiative heat transfer, latent and sensible heat transfer,
and heat removal or addition associated with falling snow or rain. These
forms of heat transfer are assumed to occur uniformly across the water
surface. Models of heat transfer from the water surface include those by
Gotlib and Gorina (1974), Goryonov and Perzkinskey (1967), Asvall (1972),
Pailey, Magagno and Kennedy (1974), Dingman, Weeks and Yen (1967) and
Dingman and Assur (1969). All of the above models were devised for sub-
zero atmospheric conditions. Although surface heat transfer is a very
complex term, each of the models contains simplifications especially of
the radiative and evaporative heat transfer, such that the surface heat
transfer is 0 (cal/m2 -sec) where Q is at most a function of atmospheric
temperature, wind speed, cloud cover and the difference between water
and air temperature. Thus all models allow for a straightforward compari-
son with published meteorological data.
18
In a recent unpublished manuscript, we compared all of the above
models with meteorological data and the lengths of open water reach in
two Alaskan and Canadian rivers. The model by Dingman and Assur (1969),
employing linearized forms of the surface heat loss coefficients originally
devised by Rimsha and Oonchenko (1957), proved to be both the most con-
servative and the most accurate of all models tested. Apparently the
critical distinction between the latter model and the others is the
prediction of heat transfer under low wind conditions. Heat transfer
under these conditions is substantially underestimated with all but the
Dingman and Assur {1969) model. Hence in our further calculations, we
have assumed that the formulae given by Dingman and Assur (1969) are the
most accurate available. It should be noted that Larsen (1978) completed
an analysis of heat loss terms in the Dingman and Assur (1969) formulae,
and suggested that heat loss from turbulent river reaches may be under-
estimated. HOwever, in the present study we are concerned with heat
loss from the bay surface where water velocities are substantially less
than in turbulent river flow. The Dingman and Assur (1969} formulae are
given below:
1) Clear sky conditions
0 = Qo + e0 (Tw -Tair) (cal/cm2 day)
where Tw = water temperature (°C)
Tafr = air temperature (•c)
a 0 = 105.18 + 23.14 W (cal/cm2 day)
a0 = 35.08 + 4.24 w {cal/cm2 day•c)
W = wind speed (m/sec)
19
(4)
2) Cloudy sky conditions
Q =-a1 +a, (Tw -Tair) (cal/cm 2 day)
where a1 = -72.85 + 9.08 W (cal/cm2 day)
a1 = 37 • 1 0 + 4 • 58 w ( ca 1 1 cm2 day • c)
(5)
In a subsequent section, calculations employing these expressions
for Q will be used to determine local temperature distributions from the
tailrace. These calculations are meant to suggest the local or transient
ice production within a tidal cycle. For the present control volume
approach, it is sufficient to consider the magnitude of the surface heat
loss term in comparison with other terms in the governing energy balance,
Equation (3).
Under severely cold conditions, with air temperatures of -2s•c and
wind velocities of 6 m/sec (10 mph), the Dingman expressions suggest a
surface heat 1 oss of about 250 cal /cm2 day. For fresh water at the
freezing point this magnitude of heat loss implies an ice formation rate
of 3.2 em/day.
Interfacial heat transfer
Another form of surface heat loss which is not considered in the
Dingman analysis is heat transfer at the fresh-salt water interface.
This form of heat loss from the overlying fresh water to the bottom saline
layer may be expected to exist whenever the salt water is colder than the
fresh water.
Nansen (1897) made estimates of the ice production rate at the
interface indicating an ice production of 0.35 em/day. The same rate was
also measured by Martin and Kauffman (1974) in a laboratory experiment
simulating the formation of ice at the interface in an initially quiescent
basin. A growth rate of 0.35 em/day is equivalent to a heat loss rate of
20
28 cal/cm2 day. tence, during a severely cold period the dominant
mechanism for ice formation is heat loss to the air. Under certain
conditions, including for example, cloudy skies, low winds, and fresh
water temperatures of o•c, the interfacial heat transfer may be dominant,
but maximum ice production rates are produced by severely cold air temp-
eratures and high winds.
Calculations for the case of complete mixing of fresh water with sea water
The case of complete mixing is suggested as a limiting case yielding
the minimum ice production rate. By complete mixing we imply that the
relative volume of sea water entrained with the fresh water is very
large in the immediate vicinity of the tailrace. Thus, the properties
of the mixed water are identical to those in the pure sea water. This
implies that Tsw = Tsw• or, hsw = hsw· In the limiting case of complete
mixing, the final term in Equation 3 is zero and there is no interfacial
ice production; therefore, Equation 3 becomes
m = QA
hfw -hsw
(6)
i hsw -hi
I I I
Equation 6 shows that the net ice production rate depends only on the
heat flux across the water surface and the heat associated with the
influx of fres~ water. Ice will grow when term I exceeds term II and
will melt when term I is less than term II. The difference between ice
production rates with and without the hydroelectric facility depends, in
this approximation, only on term II, the heat provided by the influx of
fresh water. Term II depends on mfw and on the temperature of the fresh
water influx. As noted previously, regulation of the Bradley Lake dis-
21
charge during winter operation of the hydroelectric facility suggests a
possible ten-fold or more increase in mfw· This increase in winter
flow would be routed from the lake via a tunnel to an unnamed creek about
1/2 mile east of Sheep Point. The discharge temperature would be sub-
stantially higher than present discharge from the Bradley River {o•c
during winter}.
Specifications of the hydroelectric power plant include withdrawal
of lake water at depth during winter operation. Temperature profiles
below the ice surface were measured by the Corps of Engineers and are
presented in Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9. It is clear that Bradley Lake
bottom temperatures remained between 2• and 4•c during the period of obser-
vation. This agrees with measured temperatures at the tailrace of the
Eklutna Power Station near Palmer, Alaska (Wilde, personal communication).
Wilde stated that water temperatures at the tailrace remained constant at
4•c throughout the winter, even when drawdown in the reservoir was
sufficient to bring the ice surface to within twenty feet of the reservoir
outlet. Since the Eklutna facility, like the Bradley Lake project,
includes a thousand foot tunnel from the reservoir to the tailrace, it
appears that the assumption of constant fresh water temperature equal to
3• or 4•c at the tailrace is warranted.
The ten-fold or more increase in mtw and an increase of = 4•c in the
temperature of the fresh water discharge suggests that term II in Equation
6 will be much larger during winter operation of the hydroelectric facility
.. as compared to present conditions. Therefore a net decrease in the total
ice production rate in the bay may be expected once the project is in
operation. It must be remembered that this theoretical conclusion is
based on the assumption of complete mixing which will probably not be
achieved in reality.
22
Calculations for little or no mixing
A second limiting case, in principle, occurs when there is little
or no mixing of the sea water with the fresh water discharge from the power
plant. In reality it does not appear that this case will be important.
The large tidal range c~ 14 ft) and associated currents coupled with wind
driven turbulence should be sufficient to mix the fresh water with the
sea water in a relatively short time. Colonell's (1980) study suggests
that only a few tidal cycles would be required. Crude calculations also
suggest that if the fresh water discharge were to spread in a lens over
the head of the bay that its thickness would be negligible (a few hundredth
inch). In this instance the very thin fresh water layer would be subject
to heat loss from above and below to effectively infinite heat sinks.
Heat input of the fresh water discharge would be negligible in comparison
to the atmospheric losses if the salt water were at -1 .a•c and the weather
cold and windy. Hence, the total discharge would produce ice at a rate
proportional to Q + q which implies a fifteen-fold increase in ice produc-
tion rate from Bradley River water or a five-fold increase for ice produc-
tion from all the rivers at the head of the bay (other rivers 0.75, plus
15 x 0.25 for the Bradley River). However, as noted above, the mixing
conditions appear to be sufficient to prevent a thin layer from forming
and from turning all the discharge into ice (as assumed by this calculation).
While some stratification of the fresh water discharge, may occur, it
would probably be restricted to a bounded fresh water lens area. Beyond
this region, the fresh water would become relatively well mixed taking
on the characteristics of the ambient sea water. Thus, direct application
of Equation 3 is somewhat academic.
Our approach will be to focus on the fresh water lens, the area it
occupies, its thickness and the distance from the tailrace that would be
23
required to cool the "lens" water to o•c. These results then allow
approximate conclusions to be made regarding the ice formation in the lens.
Fresh water lens area
A simple calculation can be made to illustrate the importance of the
fresh water lens area with respect to interfacial ice formation. This
mode of ice formation is expected to be significant in the case of no
mixing. The interfacial heat loss from the fresh water layer is given
by q AL (cal/day). renee a stationary fresh water layer above salt
water at the freezing point would form ice at a rate propportional
to q AL· However, with a warm water discharge, there is an added heat .
flux of mtw (hfw -hsw> which serves to slow the interfacial ice production
rate. A comparison of the net heat flux for the present and projected . .
cases [q AL -mfw (hfw -hsw)], suggests that the total area increase
required to achieve equality of net heat flux is ·29 square miles. That
is, a fresh water lens area twenty-nine square miles larger than that found
during present winter conditions would be necessary for interfacial ice
production to equal or exceed present rates.
Hence the extent of the fresh water lens area is of considerable
importance to the total ice produciton. The present analysis of the
extent of AL will consider both theoretical predictions of the extent
of a buoyant discharge, and Colonel1 's {1980) salinity measurements for
varying discharge conditions. Calculations to determine the maximum
fresh water lens area with projected winter discharge are presented
in the appendix. These calculations indicate that at most AL would
increase by a factor of five from present conditions.
24
Best estimate -thermodynamic model
The final case represents what appears to be a best estimate including
the effects of mixing of sea water entrained past Homer into upper Kachemak
Bay with Bradley River water. The control volume is the whole inner
bay, fresh and salt water, and we assume a long term stea~ state (over .
several tidal cycles) Since the "pure" sea water, msw• is mixed with
• 1 •
the fresh water, mfw• to form mixed water, msw , plus ice, mi, the
conservation of mass and energy is given by Equation 1 and 2.
As in the earlier section, the conservation equations are written
for the Bradley River -Kachemak Bay system only. Winter discharge and
ice production from Sheep Creek and Fox River is assumed to remain constant
before and after construction of the hydroelectric facility.
Equation (3) may be rewritten:
net ice production
due to fresh water
discharge
=
interfacial
ice production
1 1
mfw (hfw -hsw )/L + msw (hsw -hsw)/L
ice decrease due
to relatively
warm water inflow
ice production
due to raising
of freezing
point of mixed
water
where Lis the latent heat of freezing (80 cal/g).
The entrained pure sea water entering the inner bay has a ••typical"
salinity S. (ppt). This refers to a depth averaged salinity value of the
sea water before mixing with the fresh water. Similarly a typical
mixed water salinity S (ppt) may be defined for water leaving the bay. For
example, Knull (1975) has estimated that the entering sea water during
July, 1969, had salinity typical of Cook Inlet water (S. • 31.6 ppt)
and the mixed water leaving the bay had a salinity of S 2 29.9 ppt.
The conservation of salt equation written for flow passing Homer is
25
( 10)
. .
msw s. = (mfw + mswl S
and the entrained sea water
. .
msw = mfw S/ ( S. -S) (11)
Knull (1975) uses the conservation of salt equation to suggest that during
July, 1969, the fresh water in the bay amounted to 5.7% of the total,
; . e. :
mtw = S..-S = 31.6-29.9 = 0.057
s 29.9
This is a summer estimate of the fresh.water discharge into the bay.
Judging by the data of Carlson (1977), the fresh water influx decreases
by about 15 during the winter. 1-ence, the percent of fresh water presently
found in the bay should be about 5.7/15 = 0.38% during winter. This
corresponds to a salinity of 31.48 ppt. Since construction of the hydro-
electric facility implies a maximum fifteen-fold increase in Bradley
River discharge, and assuming Bradley River represents 25% of the total
fresh water, the projected winter fresh water content of the bay is
( .75)( .38) + 15( .25)( .38) = .0171
implying a typical projected salinity of 31.04 ppt.
The enthalpy of fresh water is
hfw = c Tfw
where c = specific heat of water (1 cal/g •c) and Tfw = temperature of
entering fresh water c•c) The enthalpy of the sea water and the mixed
water is· also a function of temperature only. We assume that the sea
26
water is at its freezing point, i.e., at the temperture of a oody of water
with salinity S. (Doherty and Kester, 1974)
T5w • (-0.0137-.05199 s.-.00007225 s!J t•c)
If ice is being formed from the mixed water, then it must also be at
the freezing temperature of a body of water with salinity of the mixed
water, S.
Hence,
I 2 2 Tsw -Tsw = [.05199(5.-S) + .00007225 (S. -s )] (•c)
.
Then, multiplying by msw from equation (11),
• I •
msw (hsw -hswl = c mfw S [.05199 + .00007225 (S. + S) ].
Substituting into Equation (10)
m; QA/L =
net ice production
minus in situ
production from
salt water
c mfw (Tfw + .0137 -.00007225 S S.)/L (12)
net ice production due to entering fresh water
This equation specifies the ice production due to the discharge of
entering fresh water. The right hand side accounts for ice production
due to interfacial effects, temperature of incoming water, and the effect
of dilution upon the freezing point. To establish the difference between
present and projected winter ice production, it is necessary to evaluate
the right hand side for the two conditions. We have summarized these
calculations in table 3. (Note that T' is defined as Tfw + .0137 -
.oooo7225 s s.)
27
.
TABLE 3. Calculation of qAL/l-cmfw T'/L
Present
AL = 2 sq. mi.
AL = 5.18 • 10lO cm2 .
q = 28 cal/cm2 day .
mfw 2 100 cfs
= 2.446 • 1011 g/day .
qAL/L = 1 .8125 • 1010 g/day
cmfw/L = 3.059 · 109 g/day •c
s = 31.48 ppt
Tfw = o •c
T' = -0.05187
qAL/l Cmfw T'/L
= 1 .83 • 1olO g/day
Projected
AL = 10 sq . mi.
AL = 25.9 • 10 10 cm2 .
q = 28 cal/cm2 day
mfw 2 1500 cfs = 3.67 · 1012 g/day
qAL/L = 9.065 • 1010 g/day
cmfwiL = 4.588 · 1olO g/day 0
(
s = 31.04 ppt
Tfw = 4 •c
T' = 3.943
qAL/L -Cmfw T' /L
= -9.0255 • 1010 g/day
Hence, the projected winter ice production due to fresh water input is
expected to decrease relative to present ice production. Furthermore,
assuming that the temperature of the discharge at the tailrace is 2 •c,
we find T' = 1.943 •c for the projected flow. Using this assumption
it may be shown that the fresh water ice production amounts to 1.505.
109 g/day, a ten-fold decrease from present ice production. This
estimate is conservative: it is based on a maximum predicted fresh
water lens area, zero input of frazil ice from Bradley River, and measured
dilution rates in the bay. Even if the temperature of regulated flow at
the tailrace is as high as 2 •c, the total ice production should still
decrease by a factor of ten.
Local Effects
In this section some consideration is given to local effects in the
vicinity of the tailrace. The temperature distribution is calculated to
28
show the extent of the "warm 11 water area. The effective fresh water
lens area for interfacial ice formation should be reduced by this warm water
area.
Following Dingman and Assur {1969), an expression may be written to
calculate the extent of an open water area downstream from a warm water
discharge. Figure 10 depicts the flow geometry for a cross section of
jet flow.
Q
coUhbT
h
co UhbT + a( ecUhbT) ~x
ax
Figure 10 -Heat balance for section of fresh water discharge
Heat transfer into section = Heat transfer out of section.
CpUhbT a CpUhb T + a ( pCUhbT) !J.X + Q b !J.X
ax
29
where c = specific heat of water [1 cal/g •c]
p • density of water [1 g/cm3]
u = velocity [em/day]
h = 1 ayer thickness [em]
b = 1 ayer width [em]
X • longitudinal distance [em)
Q = surface heat loss [caltcm2 day]
Assuming no mixing, the discharge (Uhb) remains constant and
pcUhbdT = -Qb
dx (13)
The surface heat loss, Q, according to Dingman and Assur (1969) is
pcUh dT = -(a+ B[T-Ta;r]} ax ( 14)
where a and a are defined by Equation 4. If b is constant an analytic
solution for this equation may be written for boundary conditions of
T(x = o} = T0 ,
T-Tair +a/a= (T 0 -Ta1r +a/B) exp [-ax/pc Uh] (15}
Equation 15 gives the temperature as a function of distance from
the outfall for a prescribed surface heat flux formulation, and is shown
in Figure 11 as the dotted line. The heat flux coefficients a and s
were chosen to represent severe atmospheric conditions at Homer, specifically,
Ta;r = -2o•c and wind velocity = 3m/sec. The discharge is 1400 cfs
and temperature at the tailrace is 4•c. The width, b, of the outflow is
constant and equal to 500 feet.
Equation 13 may also be solved for a variable b, in particular when
b is a linear function of distance from the outfall. As discussed in
the appendix, the spread for the buoyant jet. is controlled by the outfall
Froude number. Accordingly, we have plotted the decay of fresh water
30
temperature with distance from the tailrace for two width formulations:
b • 0.214 x and b • 0.107 x. The latter spread is typical non-buoyant
jet spread (Schlichting 1968) and the former chosen simply to double the
standard jet spreading rate. The wider jet reaches a temperature of o•c
two miles downstream from the tailrace~ where the width is about 0.5
mile. Figure 12 depicts the spread of the jet and the location of the
0°C iSOtherm with the prescribed heat lOSS expression assuming the 0.214 X
spreading rate.
Equation 15 may be inversed to determine the water area with
temperature greater than 0°C for a variety of surface heat loss expressions . .
Q is primarily a function of Tair· Figure 13 shows the warm water
areas for constant wind (W = 6 m/sec), constant outflow temperature (T 0
= 4°C), and variable discharge and air temperature. The minimum calcu-
lated warm water area is about 0.28 sq. miles under the most severe of
atmospheric conditions with Tair = -2s•c. This area is outlined on
Figure 12 and corresponds to a region just upstream of Sheep Point.
Since the site of the proposed barge docking facility is downstream of
Sheep Point. there are instances when the facility will be subject to
local ice growth. However, according to our earlier estimates, the
net ice production for the upper Kachemak Bay should decrease as a result
of the regulated flow. Hence~ we expect that local accumulations of ice
near the barge docking facility will occur during severely cold atmos-
pheric conditions, but they will be transitory in nature.
Conclusions
The conclusions reached by this study must be prefaced by the reminder
that this is largely a theoretical research approach. There are no studies
to our knowledge that chronicle the ice production rates before and after
31
construction of a hydroelectric facility. However, in each instance
where assumptions were to be made, the appropriate parameters were chosen
from recent laboratory and field studies.
A summary of the conclusions for this investigation follows:
1} In the case of complete local mixing of fresh and sea water,
increased discharge of fresh water having a temperature higher
than present Bradley River water would result in a net decrease
in ice production.
2) In the case of no mixing, a thin layer of fresh water would
spread over the surface of the bay. If the weather were cold
and the bay water temperature below zero, then the layer would
be subject to effectively infinite heat sinks. Hence the pro-
duction rate would increase proportional to the increase in
discharge. However the conditions required for no mixing do
not exist in Kachemak Bay. Judging by Colonell 's (1980} disper-
sion studies, the tidal range information, and observations of
winds at the head of the bay, dilution of the fresh water from
the tailrace should be rapid.
3) The final case represents our best estimate and includes both
mixing and interfacial ice production. In this case, if a tempera-
ture of 4•c is assumed at the tailrace, the increased discharge
will melt ice. If a temperature of 2•c is assumed at the tail-
race, there will be a ten-fold reduction in ice produced from
Bradley River over present conditions.
4) ~ring severely cold periods, there will be local ice growth in
the vicinity of the barge dock. However, it is expected to be
less than that presently found under similar atmospheric conditions
and rapidly dispersed by tidal mixing.
32
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We wish to thank personnel from the u.s. Army Corps of Engineers,
Alaska District, for helpful discussions and suggestions. Funds were pro-
vided by the U.S. Army CRREL under contract number OACA 89-81-K-0001. We
also wish to thank Janis Zender for her careful preparation of the figures.
33
REFERENCES
Abraham, G., 1960. Jet Diffusion in liquid of greater density, J.
~draul. Div., ASCE, Vol. 86, No. HY6, Proc. Paper 2506, pp. 1-13.
Anwar, H. 0., 1970. Spread of buoyant jet at the free surface, J.
~draul. Div., ASCE, Vol. 96, No. HYl, pp. 288-291.
Asvall, 1972. Proc. of Banff Symposia on the role of snow and ice in
hydrology.
Burbank, D., 1977. Circulation studies in Kachemak Bay and lower Cook
Inlet, Environmental Studies of Kachemak Bay and Lower Cook Inlet,
Vol. III, Ed. L. Tratsky et al., Alaska Dept. Fish and Game, Marine/
Coastal Habitat Management, Anchorage, Alaska.
Carlson, R. F., Seifert, R. D. and Kane, D. L., 1977. Effects of season-
ability and variability of streamflow on nearshore coastal areas,
Inst. Water Resources, Rept. IWR-78, University of Alaska, Fairbanks.
Colonell, J. M., 1980. Circulation and dispersion of Bradley River water
in upper Kachemak Bay, Final Rept. to Dept. of the Army Alaska District,
Corps of Eng., Anchorage, Alaska, 35 pp.
Dingman, and Assur, 1969. CRREL Res. Rept. 206, Pt. II.
Dingman, S. L., Weeks, W. F., Yen, Y. C., 1967. The effects of thermal
pollution on river ice conditions--!: A general method of calculation,
u.s. Army Cold Regions Res. and Engin. Lab., Res. Rept. 206, Pt. I,
(AD 666205).
Doherty, B. T. and Kester, 0. R., 1974. Freezing point of sea water,
Jour. of Marine Res., Vol. 32, No.2, p. 285-300.
34
Gatto, L. W., 1981. Ice distribution and winter surface circulation
patterns, Kachemak Bay, Alaska, CRREL Rept. to the u.s. Army Eng.
District, Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska, 57 pp.
Goryunov and Perzzhinskfy, 1967. Soviet hydrology, Selected papers,
Issue No. 4.
Gotlib and Gorina, 1974. Gidrotekhnicheskoe, Stroitel 'stvo, No. 11.
Gosink, J. P., 1979. A stuQy of turbulence in the horizontal buoyant
surface jet, Ph.d. Thesis, Tech. Rept. HEL 27-6, University of
California, Berkeley, ~draulic Engineering Lab.
Knull. J. R., 1975. Oceanography of Kachemak Bay, Alaska--a summary
of 1969 studies, Manus. Rept. File No. 113 NMFS-NW Fisheries Confer.
Auke Bay, Alaska, 30 pp.
Larsen, P., 1978. Thermal regime of ice covered waters, Int. Assoc.
~draul. Res., Pt. 3, pp. 95-117.
Martin, S., 1981. Frazil ice in rivers and oceans, Ann. Rev. Fluid Mech.,
Vol. 13, pp. 379-397.
t4artin, s .. Kauffman, P •• 1974. The evolution of under-ice melt ponds,
or double diffusion at the freezing point, J. Fluid Mech., vol. 64,
pt. 3, pp. 507-527.
McClimans, T. A., Steen, J. E., Kjeldgaard, J. H., 1978. Ice formation in
fresh water cooled by a more saline underflow, Int. Assoc. HYdraul.
Res., pt. 2, pp. 20-29.
McGuirk, J. J. and Rodi, w., 1978. Mathematical modelling of three-dimensional
heated surface jets, SFB80/T/135, Sondertorschungsbereich 80, Ausbreitungs-
und Transportvorglnge in StrBmungen, Universitat Karlsruhe.
Nansen, F., 1897. Farthest North, Vol. 1, pp. 457-459, New York: Harper
and Brothers.
35
Pailey, Magagno, Kennedy, 1974. J. of ~draul. Div., ASCE.
Prych, E •• 1972. A warm water effluent analyzed as a buoyant surface
jet, Swedish Meteorological and ~drological Institute, ~draulic
Series Rept. No. 21.
Rimsha, v. A. and Donchenko, R. V., 1957. The investigation of heat loss
from free water surfaces in wintertime, Leningrad Gosudarstvennyi
Gidrotogicheskii Institut, Trudy, Vol. 65, pp. 54-83 (text in Russian).
Safaie, Bijan, 1978. Mixing of horizontal buoyant surface jet over sloping
bottom, Ph.D. Dissertation, Univ. of Calif., Berkeley, Calif.
Schlichting, H., 1968. Boundary layer theory, rkGraw-Hill, New York,
6th Ed.
Selkregg, L. (coordinator}, 1976. Alaska regional profiles, Yukon Region,
Publ. for State of Alaska, Juneau, by the University of Alaska,
Arctic Environ. Data Center.
Spraggs, L. D. and R. L. Street, 1977. Three dimensional simulation of
thermally influenced hydrodynamic flows, Symp. on modeling of transport
mechanisms in oceans and lakes, marine sciences directorate, Manus.
Rept. Series, No. 43, Dept. of the Environ. Ottawa, Canada.
Stolzenbach, K. D., and D. R. Harleman, 1971. An analytical and experimental
investigation of surface discharges of heated water, Ralph M. Parsons
laboratory for water Resources and HYdrodynamics, Dept. of Civil
Enging., Mass. Inst. of Tech., Rept. No. 135, 212 pp.
Tarnai, N., and R. L. Wiegel, and G. F. Tornberg, 1969. HOrizontal surface
discharge of warm water jets, J. of the Power Division, proc. of the
ASCE, Vol. 95, No. 2, pp. 253-276.
36
Tratsky, L. L., Flagg, L. B., Burbank, D. C., 1977. Environmental studies
of Kachemak Bay andd Lower Cook Inlet, Vol. III, Circulation studies
in Kachemak Bay and Lower Cook Inlet, 207 pp., Ak. Dept. of Fish and
Game, Anchorage, Alaska.
Waldrop, w., and Farmer, R., 1973. Three-dimensional flow and sediment
transport at river mouths, Tech. Rept. No. 150, Coastal Studies
Inst., Louisiana State Univ., Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Wennekens, M.P., Flagg, L. B., Trasky, L., Burbank, D. C., Rosenthal,
R., Wright, F. F., 1975. Kachemak Bay, a status report, Ak. Dept.
of Fish and Game, Anchorage, Alaska, 230 pp.
Wiegel, R. L., 1964, Oceanographical engineering, Prentice-Hall, Inc.,
Englewood Cliffs, N.J., Fluid Mechanics SEries.
Wright, F. F., 1975. Kachemak Bay--A status report, Sect. 1, Transport
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Section, Coastal Protection Programs, Anchorage, Alaska.
37
APPENDIX: EXTENT OF FRESH WATER LENS
The spread of a horizontal buoyant jet over a quiescent basin has
been studied by many investigators including Wiegel {1964), Stolzenbach
and Harleman (1971), Anwar (1970), and Safaie (1978). For high Reynolds
nu.mber flow, it has been found that the spreading rates and dilution are
largely controlled by the outfall Froude number. For example, Tarnai et
al. (1969) found that the temperature half-width (the distance from the
jet centerline where the temperature is reduced by half) of a horizontal
buoyant jet varies as
b : x/F 1/4
0
where
where
b is the temperature half width
x is the distance from the outfall
F0 is the outfall Froude number
F0 = U0 I Vg' h0
U0 is fresh water velocity
h0 is fresh water depth
g' = g 6p/p 0 is the reduced gravity, proportional to the fresh-
salt water density difference, 6p
Unfortunately this measure of the width of the jet is appropriate
only in quiescent basins without tidal effects, and cannot be compared
with the data from Colonell (1980). However, it is expected that the f~r-
field dilution rates and areal extent of the fresh water lens will he
largely controlled by the outfall Froude number. That is, the spreading
rate in winter during operation of the hydro-facility should resemble
the measured spreading rate at a similar outfall Froude number.
Abraha~ (1960) investigated the dilution of a buoyant fresh water
aischarge into a quiescent basin and found that the axial concentration
could be expressed as:
38
C z F 2/3 x -5/3
0
Thus buoyant horizontal jet studies indicate that the areal extent
of the fresh water discharge in a quiescent basin is controlled by the
outfall Froude number. These studies also indicate that the width of the
buoyant lens decreases with increasing Froude number, and the length
(distance to a constant isohaline) increases with increasing Froude number.
Since b is a measure of the width of the lens, and C is a measure of the
length of the lens, these two studies suggest that the areal extent of the
fresh water lens should vary as :
Al • b • C
or Al « Fo-1/4 • Fo2/3
Al « FoS/12
Finally, the depth of the fresh water lens should also depend upon
the outfall Froude number. In the vicinity of the tailrace or the river
mouth, the lighter fresh water (ap/p. • 3%) is found even to the bottom.
The fresh water layer then thins as the flow moves away from the river
mouth. For example, in August (see Table 4) low salinity water (S = 5 ppt)
can be found at the 10 ft. depth at a station .8 mile from the river mouth,
while 1.4 miles from the river mouth, the salinity at the 10ft. depth, is
8.5 ppt. A comparison of the three tables shows that the maximum penetration
of the fresh water flow varies according to season. This corresponds to
the theoretical model predicted by Gosink (1979) in which it was shown
that the maximum penetration depth of a horizontal buoyant jet is
hMAX = 0.9 ho Fol/2
where h0 is the depth of discharge at the outfall.
39
This suggests that a higher Froude number flow will produce a thicker
lens. The three studies of horizontal buoyant jets imply that for a given
volume flux, the fresh water lens will have an areal extent which varies as
F0
511 2 and a depth which varies as F0 11 2• Hence the areal extent of a buoyant
discharge is at worst linearly proportional to the outfall Froude number. The
relation between outfall Froude number and fresh water mass flux is
Oo
=
where Q0 = U0 b0 h0 • is the outfall volume flux and b0 is discharge width.
A coMparison of the measured fresh water lens area with estimated river
discharge or Froude number may be made using Colonell's (1980) study of dispersio
in the bay. Salinity and temperature measurements during field experiment II
in October, 1980, are compiled in table 5. The Bradley River discharge was
particularly high at this time, 1275 cfs, almost three times typical October
values. Hence a relatively large fresh water lens area is expected.
The measured March 1980 salinity observations of the Corps of Engineers
are typical winter conditions. These data are listed in Table 6, and indi-
cate that the fresh water lens extends no greater than two miles from the
Bradley River mouth. The corresponding outfall Froude number is
Oo
Fo = = 0.67
b 1/2 h 3/2
0 0
g•l/2
if Oo = 100 cfs
bo = 100 ft
estimated
ho = 2 ft
g' ,. gb..p/p,. = 10{.03) = 0.3 ft/sec 2
40
TABLE 4
Table 4 (from Colonell, 1980) Salinity-temperature -depth measurements
by the Corps of Engineers, August, 1979. Distance is measured from inter-
section of Sheep Creek with Bradley River. Tidal stage is given in
minutes from high (H) or low (L) tide, assuming a tidal lag of 45 minutes
from that at Seldovia.
Distance Tidal stage Depth Salinity Temperature
{mi) ( ft) (ppt) (oC}
.4 H -48 0.6 0.3 10.3
6.0 b 0.3 9.8
.8 H -63 0.6 0.5 7.2
10.0 b 0.5 7.5
1.4 H -33 0.6 4.6 10.5
10.0 b 8.5 11.3
1.4 H -18 0.6 7.9 11.5
13.0 b 17.1 12.8
1.4 H - 3
0.6 3.1 10.0
13.0 b 20.0 13.3
1.4 H + 12 0.6 1.6 9.4
1.8 17.0 11.5
13.0 b 21.5 13.7
1.6 H -78 0.6 17.1 12.4
11.0 b 19.2 12.8
2.9 H -93 0.6 27.1 12.7
10.0 b 27.0 12.7
4.0 l + 150 0.6 2.5 10.2
3.6 b 20.4 13.1
4.3 L -60 4.5 6.1 9.8
4.5 L + 105 0.6 22.6 13.5
5.9 b 21.9 15.4
4.5 L + 120 0.6 22.0 13.2
5.0 b 20.5 13.4
4.7 L + 90 0\6 23.4 13.6
4.8 L -45 0.6 4.8 8.5
2.7 7.0 9.0
5.5 b 9.6 9.5
5.1 L -15 0.6 10.4 10.2
3.1 b 10.0 10.0
5.1 L + 80 0.6 21.9 13.8
5.4 L + 75 0.6 22.4 13.3
5.8 L 0.6 5.9 10.2
4.4 b 18.3 11.5
6.0 L + 60 0.6 8.0 10.1
5.0 23.3 13.1
6-14.5 b 28.1 11.3
6.1 L + 30 0.6 13.3 9.8
1.6 20.1 12 .1
2-8.3 b 21.8 12.1
6.5 L + 15 0.6 9.3 10.3
5.6 20.5 11.5
b: bottom depth
41
TABLE 5
Table 5 (from Co1one11, 1980) Salinity-temperature-depth measurements.
October, 1980 • Distance is measured from the intersection of Sheep Creek with Bradley River. Tidal stage is given in minutes from high (H) or low
(L) tide, assuming a tidal lag of 45 minutes from that at Seldovia.
Distance Tidal Stage Depth Salinity Temperature (mt) ( ft) ( ppt) (oC)
1.5 l -76 0.5 0 6.8 1.8 l -6 0.5 0 6.5 1.9 l + 14 0.0 0 7.0
2.0 2. 7.5
3.0 b 7. 8.0 2.0 L + 94 0.0 0 5.0
2.0 0 5.0
4.0 12. 6.5 6.0 16. 7.5
8.0 b 15. 7.5 2.2 l + 34 0.0 0 6.0
2.0 0 6.0
4.0 8.5 6.0
5.0 b 16.5 7.0 5.0 H + 16 0.0 23. 8.5
2.0 24. 8.5
4.0 25. 8.5
6.0 26. 8.5
8.0 27.5 9.
10.0 29. 9.
12.0 29.5 9.
6.0 H + 61 0.0 19. 7.5
2.0 22.5 7.5
4.0 25. 8.0
6.0 26.5 a.
8.0 27 .5 9.
10.0 27.5 9.
7.4 H -134 1.0 29.0 2.5
3.0 29.5 3.0
6.0 30.5 3.1
9.0 30.5 3.0
15.0 b 31.8 3.7
7.6 H -119 1.0 30.3 4.0
3.0 30.3 4.2
6.0 30.6 4.2
10.0 b 30.6 4.0
11.5 l + 127 o.o 33.5 3.8
5.0 b 33.5 3.8
b: bottom depth
42
TABLE 6
Table 6 (from Colonell, 1980) Salinity-temperature-depth measurements
by the Corps of Eng1 neers, r~arch, 1980. Distance is measured from intersection
by Sheep Creek with Bradley River. Tidal stage is given in minutes from
high {H) or from low (l) tide assuming a tidal lag of 45 minutes from that
at Seldovia.
Distance Tidal Stage Depth Salinity Temperature
(mi) { ft) ( ppt) (oC)
o. H + 50 0.0 1.6 .3
2.0 1.9 .3
4.0 2.0 .3
.03 H + 110 0.5 10.0 1.3
.16 H + 115 0.5 11.5 1.3
.32 H + 140 0.5 11.5 1.0
.44 H + 170 0.0 15.0 1.0
2.0 b 15.0 1.0
.77 L -183 0.0 23.5 1.5
6.0 b 23.5 1.5
1.0 L -163 0.0 27.3 1.5
7.0 b 27.3 1.5
1.2 L -153 0.0 29.5 1.5
1.53 L -148 0.0 30.0 1.5
7.0 b 30.0 1.5
1.85 L -138 0.0 32.5 2.5
8.0 b 32.5 2.5
2.18 L -133 0.0 33.5 2.8
13 .a 34.0 3.0
2.5 L -123 o.o 33.0 2.8
12.0 b 32.5 3.8
b: bottom depth
43
On the other hand, the Froude number for the August 1979 study (Table
4) is
since
F0 = 2.7
Q0 = 761 cfs measured
b0 = 100 ft.
estimated
h0 = 3 ft
g' = 0.3 ft/sec2
Surface salinity for the three cases, October 1980, March, 1980 and
August 1979, are presented in Figure 14. Measurements of salinity in
March when the outfall Froude number is about 0.67 indicate that the sur-
face salinity is always greater than 10 ppt less than 2 miles from the
Bradley River mouth. In contrast, in August it appears that surface
salinity may be as low as 10 ppt some 7 or 8 miles from the river mouth.
The ratio of the outfall Froude numbers for these cases, is 4 {2.7/0.67
= 4}. Thus, the data indicate that a direct relation between outfall
Froude number or fresh water discharge and fresh water lens area is
warranted. This is also a conservative estimate of fresh water lens
area, since it appears that the tidal effects in upper Kachemak Bay
control the areal extent of fresh water. Hence it may be expected that
an increase in winter outfall Froude number will at most proportionately
increase the fresh water lens area, and consequently the interfacial ice
production.
If the Froude number for the projected hydroelectric outfall is
similar to the August, 1980, value, then it is appropriate to assume
that the spreading rates and areal extent of the fresh water lens will
44
resemble that occurring in August, 1980. The Froude number for the
projected outfall condition is
F0 = 3.5
when Q0 = 1400 cfs
b0 = 14 ft.
h0 = 14 ft.
g' = 0.3 ft/sec2
Therefore the lens of fresh water formed during the August, 1980,
study should approximate the fresh water lens associated with winter
operation of the hydroelectric facility. The projected winter fresh
water lens ·area should be five times (3.5/0.67) the present winter lens
area.
45
List of Tables
1. Homer weather during ice occurrences (from Gatto 1981).
2. Horizontal buoyant jet models. . .
3. Calculation of q ALIL-c mfw T'/L.
4. Salinity -temperature-depth measurements by the Corps
of Engineers -August 1979.
5. Salinity -temperature-depth measurements from Colonell
(1980) -October 1980.
6. Salinity-temperature-depth measurements by the Corps
of Engineers -March 1980.
. 46
List of Figures
1. Average daily minimum winter temperature at Homer (1968-1980).
2. Minimum daily winter-temperature at Homer for 1971-1972.
3. Average wind speeds at Homer (1968-1980).
4. Mass balance in bay.
5. Thermal energy balance
6. Location of temperature profiles in Bradley Lake.
7. Temperature profile at station 12.
8. Temerature profile at station 13.
9. Temperature profile at station 14.
10. Geometry for heat balance.
11. Temperature decay with distance from the tailrace.
12. Fresh water spread in upper bay.
13. Warm water areas for varying atmospheric conditions.
14. Surface salinity measurements (from Colonell 1980) during August
1979, March 1980 and October 1980.
47
lL
0'
5
• ,,
FIGURE 1. AVERAGE OAil Y MINIMUM WINTER TEMPERATURE. 11968-80). HOMER.
• • • •
•
•
• •
•
•
• • •
•
NOVEMBER
•
... • .. •
•
• .. •
' . • • .. • • •
•
DECEMBER
' •
•
•
• • •
•• .. ...
t ... •
• • • • •
•
. ...
•
• ' • . ..
I I t .. ' • •
JI\NIJ/\RY
•
•
.. • • • . ' .. . .. •
I ' . • • • • • • •
FEORUI\RY
•
.. .. • • • • • • . . ...
• ••
• •
MI\RCif
..
• • •
' • • • • • • ...... • • ... • • . .. ..
.1\PRil
0 m
("')
m
3: a: m
:::I
'-> z c >
:::I
-<
..,
m
::I
:::I c >
:::I -<
TEMPERATURE (°F)
("')
0 r-
0 m
Cl)
-(
-< m > ::::l
• 11
I • • • _10~ • ::r: a. I ::! • -9
0 I • w w a.
V) ••
0 z I •
3: • • •
w
CJ 71-•
<( • a: w >
<( 6 •
5
NOVEMOER
FIGURE 3. AVERAGE OAIL V WINO SPEED. WINTER (1968-801, HOMER.
• • •
•
•
•
•
•
'
•
• • •
•
OECEMOER
•
•• •
•
•
•••
• • • • • • •
• • • •
• .. . • • • •
•
JANUARY
•
•• •
• •
•
•
•
• •
• • •
• •
•
•
•
• •
• •
• • •• •
• • • •
•• • •
FEBRUARY
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • •
• • • •• • • •
• • • • • •
• • • ' •
• • •
• • • •
• • •
• •
t
MARCH APRIL
FIGURE 6. I.OCATlON OF TEMPERATURE PROFILES IN BRADLEY LAKE.
TEMPERATURE (°CJ
0 0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 . 4.0
-I 1 I I ' Ho
10 0
0
20 0
FIGURE 7. BRADLEY LAKE TEMPERATURE PROFILE, STATION 12.
0
30 0
(IJ
a:
w 40 J.. 0 lu
~ I '
~
~501-0
11.. w
0
60 0
70 0
0
80
( 0-.
0 0
0
10
0
20
0
30
U)
~ 40~ 0 0
w
~ -
too
UJ
0 FIGURE 8. BRADLEY LAKE TEMPERATURE PROFILE, STATION 13.
60
70
00
TEMPERATURE ( °C)
0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 . 4.0
01 I 1 I I I %0
(I)
0::
10
20
30
w 40 t;
::!
~00
0
60
70
00
0
0
0
0
0
FIGURE 9. BRADLEY LAKE TEMPERATURE PROFILE. STATION 14.
0
0
Ul a:
:::>
t-
<(
a:
Ul
0..
:E 1 w
t-
J
J
<(
I.L
~
0
·1
FIGURE 11. TEMPERATURE DECAY WITH DISTANCE FROM THE TAILRACE.
..............
........ ,
',
. . =---......... .
"'.;. .. ',
X X I
ee X
G
G E) e G
.8 1.6
', ',,
' ',
'
X
e
', ',
'
X
.....
X
e
2.4 3.2 4.0
DISTANCE DOWNSTREAM t MILES)
T • Temperature at taifrece .. 4° C w •
T air • ·20° C. Wind • 3m/sec, 0 0 • 1400 cfs
b-14. + .2141c fhJ
b • 14. + .107x fh)
b-000. Cfd
freezing point of mixed water C high discharge )
freezing point of mixed w1ter C low discharge J
X
~ X
4.8
X
X X
5.6
X X X
X
6.4
FIGURE 12. FRESH WATER SPREAD IN UPPER DAY.
I
I
I
' ' \
\
\
Kachemak Bay
.
I ,
N
~ ...... -...... .........
'· " .
' ' ' ' ' ....... ,
~ Edqes of Jet If b ::!!! .2x ' ' '
0° C Isotherm
minimum open water area for T air --25° C
0 1000 1000 JOOO 4000
I I I I I
Scalo ln fof!t
.7
.6
.4
.3
.2
. ,
0
FIGURE 13. WARM WATER AREA FOR VARYING ATMOSPtiERIC CONDITIONS.
5 10
Wind Speed • 6 m/sec
Temperature at tailrac:a • 4° C
13E!O cfs
!JJQ cfs
200 c:fs
15 20
-T AIR
25
' -.,
20
I
I
10
8 -t: a..
-&
t
2:
::i4
~
I
2-
FIGURE 14. SURFACE SALINITY MEASUREMENTS. DISTANCE IS MEASURED IN MILES FROM
INTERSECTION Of BRADLEY RIVER WITH SHEEP CREEK fFROM COlONEll. 1980t.
0 0 0
0 0
0 X
0 xXCJcx
X
0
0 0 X
X
X
X X
X August J 979 X
o Mrrch 1900 X
0 October 1900
0
X
0
0
X
X
X
X
11 I I I ' I I I I I I I I
.1 .2 .J .4 .6 .8 1.0 ... --4.0 6.0 8.0 10.0
DISTANCE FROM BRADlEY RIVER MOUTH (MILES)