Effects of fluvial and marine processes on nearshore suspended sediment concentrations off the Elwha River

Senior thesis written for Oceanography 444

[author abstract] The goal of this project was to determine whether river or marine processes had a stronger effect on the suspended-sediment content (SSC) of water off the mouth of the Elwha River. This was done in the context of the ongoing Elwha dam removal project in order to understand how sediment released from the reservoirs will affect the nearshore environment. River discharge and sediment content were measured to find out how much sediment the river was transporting and whether or not reservoir sediment pulses after demolition events were identifiable. Data sets were compared to determine the main influence on nearshore SSC. Peaks in river sediment transport were coincident with floods and dam removal events, but the river had little influence at the marine study site.

University of Washington School of Oceanography