Water movement in Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia

An array of oceanographic instruments was deployed between 1994 and 1996 to investigate water movement within Exmouth Gulf. During the first stage of the field study, waves, wave-induced velocities and tidal elevations were measured at various locations in the Gulf. The second stage of the field study involved measuring water velocities along sixteen transects widely distributed throughout the Gulf. Both vertical and horizontal velocities were recorded from the surface to the bottom at a resolution of 0.25 metres, every 10 seconds. Tidal elevations were also observed at two locations. The initial objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that long-term water mass balance in Exmouth Gulf is predominately governed by tidal motion and wind-induced currents and not by wind-generated waves. The data collected during the field studies was used for calibration of a computer model of tidal circulation in the Gulf. It is expected that this model will provide a long-term water mass balance for the Gulf and quantify the net fluxes of various suspended organic and non-organic substances into and out of the Gulf. The distribution of water flow intensity, also provided by the model, will indicate areas of potential erosion and areas vulnerable to potential pollution.