Research on bed sediment grain size, bedform morphology, vegetation characteristics, and sediment resuspension and transport.
This research is part of the project, “Sediment Transport in Coastal Environments.”
Objectives
Investigate the influence of seafloor properties, including bed sediment grain size, bedform morphology, and vegetation characteristics, on sediment resuspension and transport.
Develop parameterizations of the influence of seafloor properties on sediment transport for inclusion in numerical models.
Investigate the temporal variability of bed sediment grain size on event and seasonal time scales, and investigate the response of bedform morphology to changes in bed sediment grain size.
Collaborate with Team members in collecting oceanographic and sediment transport data to advance understanding of coastal ecosystems and coastal hazards.
Learn about all of the “Sediment Transport in Coastal Environments” research studies by choosing a title below.
Sediment Transport in Coastal Environments
Coastal watershed and estuary restoration in the Monterey Bay area
Transport of invasive microorganisms
Sediment transport in submarine canyons
Columbia River estuary
Sediment transport between estuarine habitats in San Francisco Bay
Drag and sediment transport: conditions at the bottom boundary
San Francisco Bay geomorphology
Ecosystem Engineers: Impacts of Invasive Aquatic Vegetation on the Delta’s Critical Ecosystems
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Hydrodynamic, sediment transport, and sediment flocculation data from south San Francisco Bay, California, summer 2020
Hydrodynamic and sediment transport data from San Pablo Bay and Grizzly Bay, California, 2020
Hydrodynamic and sediment transport model of San Pablo Bay, California, Nov-Dec 2014
Hydrodynamic and sediment transport data from San Pablo Bay and Grizzly Bay, California, 2019
Sediment transport and aquatic vegetation data from three locations in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California, 2017 to 2018
Below are publications associated with this project.
Cohesive sediment modeling in a shallow estuary: Model and environmental implications of sediment parameter variation
Numerical models of sediment transport in estuarine systems rely on parameter values that are often poorly constrained and can vary on timescales relevant to model processes. The selection of parameter values can affect the accuracy of model predictions, while environmental variation of these parameters can impact the temporal and spatial ranges of sediment fluxes, erosion, and deposition in the r
Influence of invasive submerged aquatic vegetation (E. densa) on currents and sediment transport in a freshwater tidal system
We present a field study combining measurements of vegetation density, vegetative drag, and reduction of suspended-sediment concentration (SSC) within patches of the invasive submerged aquatic plant Egeria densa. Our study was motivated by concern that sediment trapping by E. densa, which has proliferated in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, is impacting marsh accretion and reducing turbidity. In
Bed shear stress estimation under wave conditions using near-bottom measurements: Comparison of methods
Model-based interpretation of sediment concentration and vertical flux measurements in a shallow estuarine environment
Lateral baroclinic forcing enhances sediment transport from shallows to channel in an estuary
Autonomous bed-sediment imaging-systems for revealing temporal variability of grain size
Interactions between waves, sediment, and turbulence on a shallow estuarine mudflat
Currents, drag, and sediment transport induced by a tsunami
The influence of wave energy and sediment transport on seagrass distribution
Wind-enhanced resuspension in the shallow waters of South San Francisco Bay: Mechanisms and potential implications for cohesive sediment transport
Interaction of lateral baroclinic forcing and turbulence in an estuary
Below are news stories associated with this project.
- Overview
Research on bed sediment grain size, bedform morphology, vegetation characteristics, and sediment resuspension and transport.
This research is part of the project, “Sediment Transport in Coastal Environments.”
Objectives
Investigate the influence of seafloor properties, including bed sediment grain size, bedform morphology, and vegetation characteristics, on sediment resuspension and transport.
Develop parameterizations of the influence of seafloor properties on sediment transport for inclusion in numerical models.
Investigate the temporal variability of bed sediment grain size on event and seasonal time scales, and investigate the response of bedform morphology to changes in bed sediment grain size.
Collaborate with Team members in collecting oceanographic and sediment transport data to advance understanding of coastal ecosystems and coastal hazards.
The dolphin in Grizzly Bay with the USGS weather station installed on top. We will use the data from the weather station in conjunction with other oceanographic data, in our studies of sediment movement in the bay. USGS physical scientist Cordell Johnson, at left, and USGS research oceanographer Jessie Lacy, guide a tripod with instruments into the waters of the Mokelumne River near the confluence with the San Joaquin River. The Mokelumne is part of the vast Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta in California, located east of San Francisco Bay and south of Sacramento. Pete Dal Ferro and Andrew Stevens install a Vaisala WXT weather station in Grizzly Bay, east of San Pablo Bay and northeast of San Francisco. The weather station collects wind speed, temperature, air pressure, relative humidity, and rainfall, and data are transmitted to a web page in real time via a custom-built data logger and modem designed by PCMSC oceanographer Dan Nowacki. Other sensors installed in Grizzly and San Pablo Bays, collecting wave and current speed, water temperature, salinity, pressure, and more, can be used with data from this weather station to help gain a better understanding of the conditions that influence sediment movement through the Bays. The weather station is installed on this structure which is called a "dolphin," in the middle of Grizzly Bay. Obviously, someone (not us!) long ago thought it would be funny to install a "pedestrian crossing" sign! A weather station, installed in the middle of Grizzly Bay east of San Pablo Bay (near San Francisco), gets its power from a small solar panel. Data collected from the station is transmitted via a wireless modem. Far in the background is the city of Benicia, and the plume rising into the sky is water vapor emitted from the Benicia oil refinery. - Science
Learn about all of the “Sediment Transport in Coastal Environments” research studies by choosing a title below.
Sediment Transport in Coastal Environments
Our research goals are to provide the scientific information, knowledge, and tools required to ensure that decisions about land and resource use, management practices, and future development in the coastal zone and adjacent watersheds can be evaluated with a complete understanding of the probable effects on coastal ecosystems and communities, and a full assessment of their vulnerability to natural...Coastal watershed and estuary restoration in the Monterey Bay area
Objectives: Support further work by the USGS and collaborating federal, state, and local agencies and academic partners in analyzing the effectiveness of restoration work in coastal watersheds and estuaries in the Monterey Bay area. The USGS will play a supporting role in field efforts led by NOAA and California State University - Monterey Bay to measure physical and ecological changes in the...Transport of invasive microorganisms
The objectives of his project are to investigate the vectors and timing of microbiological invasions and the subsequent dispersal of these non-native organisms due to sediment transport. We will attempt to confirm the identification of specific invasives encountered with molecular sequencing, monitor the spread of the invading populations through their recent distribution and the historic...Sediment transport in submarine canyons
Objectives: Produce a step-change in understanding of submarine turbidity currents by measuring their two key features (synchronous velocity and concentration profiles) in detail (every 2-to-30 seconds) for the first time, and documenting spatial changes in their flow velocity from source-to-sink for the first time.Columbia River estuary
This research is part of the project “Sediment Transport in Coastal Environments.” We aim to support regional sediment management in the Columbia River littoral cell by monitoring and modeling shoreline change, modeling fate of disposed dredged material, and studying bedform morphology.Sediment transport between estuarine habitats in San Francisco Bay
We investigate mechanisms of sediment transport, resuspension dynamics in shoals, wave evolution in the shallows, wave attenuation in marshes, and transport of sediment between mudflats and marshes. We produce data sets for calibration of and comparison with sediment transport models, including wave parameters, suspended sediment concentration, and sediment flux.Drag and sediment transport: conditions at the bottom boundary
Research on bed sediment grain size, bedform morphology, vegetation characteristics, and sediment resuspension and transport.San Francisco Bay geomorphology
The primary objective of this task is to develop tools for predicting the long-term geomorphic evolution of estuaries. Sediment core and historical change analysis will be used in combination with interpretation of high-resolution seismic profiles to develop tools for predicting geomorphic evolution of estuaries. Historical change analysis will use hydrographic and lidar data. Longer-term data...Ecosystem Engineers: Impacts of Invasive Aquatic Vegetation on the Delta’s Critical Ecosystems
The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta) is home to a diverse community of plants and animals and is the hub of California’s freshwater delivery system. The Delta supplies water for over 25 million Californians and supports millions of acres of farming, commercial and sport fishing, shipping and ports, and recreational boating. - Data
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Hydrodynamic, sediment transport, and sediment flocculation data from south San Francisco Bay, California, summer 2020
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center collected hydrodynamic and suspended sediment flocculation data at channel and shallow water sites in south San Francisco Bay in July 2020. The data were used to determine water column stratification, turbulence profiles, and floc size evolution. The goal of this project was to bound the controls on floc size and floc settHydrodynamic and sediment transport data from San Pablo Bay and Grizzly Bay, California, 2020
The U.S. Geological Survey Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center collected hydrodynamic and sediment-transport data at shallow water sites in San Pablo Bay and Grizzly Bay, in northern San Francisco Bay between January and September 2020. The data were collected to determine hydrodynamic forcing, bed roughness, suspended-sediment concentration, and physical properties of the sediment bed. ThisHydrodynamic and sediment transport model of San Pablo Bay, California, Nov-Dec 2014
A three-dimensional hydrodynamic and sediment transport model of San Pablo and Suisun Bays was constructed using the Delft3D4 (D3D) modeling suite (Deltares, 2021a) to simulate water levels, flow, waves, and suspended sediment for time period of Nov 1 to Dec 31, 2014. This data release describes the construction and validation of the model application and provides input files suitable to run the mHydrodynamic and sediment transport data from San Pablo Bay and Grizzly Bay, California, 2019
The U.S. Geological Survey Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center collected hydrodynamic and sediment-transport data at shallow water sites in San Pablo Bay and Grizzly Bay, in northern San Francisco Bay between June and November 2019. The data were collected to determine hydrodynamic forcing, bed roughness, suspended-sediment concentration, and physical properties of the sediment bed. This datSediment transport and aquatic vegetation data from three locations in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California, 2017 to 2018
We measured currents, suspended-sediment concentration (SSC), bed sediment characteristics, and vegetation biomass density in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta in 2017-2018, as part of a project investigating the influence of invasive aquatic vegetation (IAV) on flow and sediment flux. This data release includes data from three sites: Lindsey Slough (April 2017), Middle River (March 2018) and the l - Multimedia
- Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Cohesive sediment modeling in a shallow estuary: Model and environmental implications of sediment parameter variation
Numerical models of sediment transport in estuarine systems rely on parameter values that are often poorly constrained and can vary on timescales relevant to model processes. The selection of parameter values can affect the accuracy of model predictions, while environmental variation of these parameters can impact the temporal and spatial ranges of sediment fluxes, erosion, and deposition in the r
AuthorsRachel Allen, Jessica R. Lacy, Andrew W. StevensInfluence of invasive submerged aquatic vegetation (E. densa) on currents and sediment transport in a freshwater tidal system
We present a field study combining measurements of vegetation density, vegetative drag, and reduction of suspended-sediment concentration (SSC) within patches of the invasive submerged aquatic plant Egeria densa. Our study was motivated by concern that sediment trapping by E. densa, which has proliferated in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, is impacting marsh accretion and reducing turbidity. In
AuthorsJessica R. Lacy, Madeline R. Foster-Martinez, Rachel M. Allen, Judith Z. DrexlerBed shear stress estimation under wave conditions using near-bottom measurements: Comparison of methods
Understanding the influence of waves on bed shear stress is critical for predicting morphodynamical behaviours in coastal areas. Near-bed flow was measured on the middle and lower intertidal mudflats along the Jiangsu coast, China, using a three-dimensional acoustic velocimeter that collected a 3.5-cm vertical profile at 1mm resolution and sample rate of 25 Hz. On the lower and middle tidal flats,AuthorsQian Zhang, Zheng Gong, Changkuan Zhang, Jessica R. Lacy, Bruce E. Jaffe, Beibei XuModel-based interpretation of sediment concentration and vertical flux measurements in a shallow estuarine environment
A one-dimensional numerical model describing tidally varying vertical mixing and settling was used to interpret sediment concentrations and vertical fluxes observed in the shoals of South San Francisco Bay by two acoustic Doppler velocimeters (ADVs) at elevations of 0.36 m and 0.72 m above bed. Measured sediment concentrations changed by up to 100 g m−3 over the semidiurnal tidal cycle. These dynaAuthorsAndreas Brand, Jessica R. Lacy, Steve Gladding, Rusty Holleman, Mark T. StaceyLateral baroclinic forcing enhances sediment transport from shallows to channel in an estuary
We investigate the dynamics governing exchange of sediment between estuarine shallows and the channel based on field measurements at eight stations spanning the interface between the channel and the extensive eastern shoals of South San Francisco Bay. The study site is characterized by longitudinally homogeneous bathymetry and a straight channel, with friction more important than the Coriolis forcAuthorsJessica R. Lacy, Steve Gladding, Andreas Brand, Audric Collignon, Mark T. StaceyAutonomous bed-sediment imaging-systems for revealing temporal variability of grain size
We describe a remotely operated video microscope system, designed to provide high-resolution images of seabed sediments. Two versions were developed, which differ in how they raise the camera from the seabed. The first used hydraulics and the second used the energy associated with wave orbital motion. Images were analyzed using automated frequency-domain methods, which following a rigorous partialAuthorsDaniel Buscombe, David M. Rubin, Jessica R. Lacy, Curt D. Storlazzi, Gerald Hatcher, Henry Chezar, Robert Wyland, Christopher R. SherwoodInteractions between waves, sediment, and turbulence on a shallow estuarine mudflat
Measurements were collected on a shallow estuarine mudflat in northern San Francisco Bay to examine the physical processes controlling waves, turbulence, sediment resuspension, and their interactions. Tides alone forced weak to moderate currents of 10–30 cm s-1 in depths of 0–3 m, and maintained a background suspension of 30–50 mg L21 of fine sediment. In the presence of wind waves, bottom orbitalAuthorsLissa J. MacVean, Jessica R. LacyCurrents, drag, and sediment transport induced by a tsunami
We report observations of water surface elevation, currents, and suspended sediment concentration (SSC) from a 10-m deep site on the inner shelf in northern Monterey Bay during the arrival of the 2010 Chile tsunami. Velocity profiles were measured from 3.5 m above the bed (mab) to the surface at 2 min intervals, and from 0.1 to 0.7 mab at 1 Hz. SSC was determined from the acoustic backscatter of tAuthorsJessica R. Lacy, David M. Rubin, Daniel BuscombeThe influence of wave energy and sediment transport on seagrass distribution
A coupled hydrodynamic and sediment transport model (Delft3D) was used to simulate the water levels, waves, and currents associated with a seagrass (Zostera marina) landscape along a 4-km stretch of coast in Puget Sound, WA, USA. A hydroacoustic survey of seagrass percent cover and nearshore bathymetry was conducted, and sediment grain size was sampled at 53 locations. Wave energy is a primary facAuthorsAndrew W. Stevens, Jessica R. LacyWind-enhanced resuspension in the shallow waters of South San Francisco Bay: Mechanisms and potential implications for cohesive sediment transport
We investigated the driving forces of sediment dynamics at the shoals in South San Francisco Bay. Two stations were deployed along a line perpendicular to a 14 m deep channel, 1000 and 2000 m from the middle of the channel. Station depths were 2.59 and 2.19 m below mean lower low water, respectively. We used acoustic Doppler velocimeters for the simultaneous determination of current velocities, tuAuthorsAndreas Brand, Jessica R. Lacy, Kevin Hsu, Daniel Hoover, Steve Gladding, Mark T. StaceyInteraction of lateral baroclinic forcing and turbulence in an estuary
Observations of density and velocity in a channel in northern San Francisco Bay show that the onset of vertical density stratification during flood tides is controlled by the balance between the cross-channel baroclinic pressure gradient and vertical mixing due to turbulence. Profiles of velocity, salinity, temperature, and suspended sediment concentration were measured in transects across SuisunAuthorsJ.R. Lacy, M.T. Stacey, J.R. Burau, Stephen G. Monismith - News
Below are news stories associated with this project.