Water circulation system data analysis in fluvio- maritime Danube Delta

Abstract

The present study aims to collect and analyse the data related to the water circulation system and the hydrological risk, for the channels in the Danube Delta, near the Letea and Caraorman units. The data collected supports the researches to understand the water circulation system in the context of an accelerated dynamics of the hydro-morphology of the Danube Delta complexes. Also, the context of climate change by modifying the rhythm of high water – low water cycle as well as by intensifying the extreme hydrological phenomena, imposes the population of the databases and the updating of the hydrological model to know and understand the current state of the deltaic ecosystem. For the data acquisition, there were 3 expeditions of field measurements to allow quantification of changes during a period (respectively low water period), to set up a data series. The channels where the hydrological data were collected during the three expeditions are Crișan - Caraorman, Eracle, Căzănele, Bogdaproste, Dovnica, Busurca, Cordon Litoral, Tataru, Cernovca, Sulimanca, Ceatal Izmail. Updating this information in the hydraulic modeling process is mandatory. The use of new techniques for collecting data on the water circulation system (discharge and water level) adds to the accuracy of the hydraulic model. If now the discharge calculation is done with the help of the rating curve, updating these data series in real-time at low, medium and high water, increases the accuracy of the results after running the model. Considering the high sedimentation rate, as well as the increase of investments for the unclogging works, in the context of the dynamics of the deltaic system, the updated hydraulic model of the Danube Delta is one of the key tools.

Keywords

• danube delta
• water flow
• water circulation