Water exposure time distributions controlled by freshwater releases in a semi-enclosed estuary published in Water Resources Research WRR 2025 data

This dataset supports the hydrodynamic modeling study described in "Water exposure time distributions controlled by freshwater releases in a semi-enclosed estuary," published in Water Resources Research (2025). The model was developed using the Delft3D Flexible Mesh (D3DFM) system to simulate circulation dynamics in the Lake Pontchartrain Estuary (LPE). This repository includes all files needed to reproduce the model for the years 2011, 2014, and multiple hydrodynamic scenarios. These files include the unstructured computational grid, boundary and initial condition inputs, meteorological and hydrological forcings, and scenario-specific discharge time series. Water level and velocity observations from moored sensors are also provided for additional model validation.

Model scenarios reflect filtered 2014 conditions, which were selected as a representative year based on a historical analysis of wind and river discharge records. Scenario definitions, calibration performance, and modeling methodology are fully described in the associated publication. Analysis scripts and post-processing tools are available via GitHub: https://github.com/caitlinturner/turner2025WRR.