Bathymetry data and sediment transport modeling of a submerged nearshore berm at the mouth of the Columbia River, Oregon and Washington, 2020-2021

This data release contains gridded bathymetry data from repeated multibeam sonar surveys and input files for a hydrodynamic and sediment transport model application of the mouth of the Columbia River (MCR), Oregon and Washington. The bathymetry data were collected by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Portland District Surveys Section between September 9, 2020, and March 10, 2021, to characterize the morphology and dispersal of a nearshore berm composed of 216,000 m3 of sand-sized sediment that was dredged from the MCR navigation channel and placed on the northern flank of the ebb-tidal delta in water depths between 12 and 15 m. Observations of berm morphology were compared with predictions from a three-dimensional hydrodynamic and sediment transport model application developed using the Delft3D modeling system. The sediment transport model was used to predict the amount, timing, and direction of transport of berm sediment outside of the bathymetric survey area. The combination of field measurements and numerical modeling was used to improve understanding and prediction of coastal processes, evaluate the efficiency of the nearshore berm location to enhance the supply of sediment to an eroding coastline north of the inlet, and to inform regional sediment management decisions at the MCR. 

These data accompany Stevens and others (2023), the link to which is available in the Related External Resources section, below.