Modeling effects of a tidal barrage on water quality indicator distribution in the Severn Estuary

In this study, emphasis has focused on assessing the potential hydro-environmental impacts of a barrage across the Severn Estuary, with a numerical model being developed and applied to the estuary to assess the impacts of proposed Severn Barrage on the hydrodynamic, sediment transport and faecal indicator organism distribution within the estuary. The results show that the Severn Barrage has the potential to reduce the tidal currents in a highly dynamic estuary. This leads to the reduction of suspended sediment concentrations, which in turn affects the bacterial transport processes which is highly related to the sediment transport processes.