Experimental study of wind-induced sediment suspension and nutrient release in Meiliang Bay of Lake Taihu, China

Wind-induced sediment suspension and nutrient release is an important source for shallow eutrophic lakes. This work studies the quantitative relationship between wind speed and sediment release rate in Meiliang Bay of Lake Taihu, China, using field observations and indoor simulations. Natural wind, water flow, and water quality conditions were synchronously monitored to establish the relationship between wind speed and sediment release rate. Sediment suspension processes under different wind speeds were also simulated in a specially designed reactor. We then established the relationship between natural wind speed and indoor-simulated sediment release rate through hydrodynamic conditions (expressed using water shear stress). The indoor experiment was a supplement to the field observations. The results showed that (1) the critical wind speeds at which sediment became suspended and demonstrated maximum suspension were approximately 3–4 and 8 m s−1, respectively; (2) the relationship between wind speed and suspended sediment (SS), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorous (TP) release rate could be expressed by exponential functions (SS release rate: y = 1.287e0.177x, R2 = 0.981; TN release rate: y = 37.55e0.363x, R2 = 0.981; TP release rate: y = 0.381e0.186x, R2 = 0.945); and (3) the critical (wind speed, 8 m s−1) release rates of SS, TN, and TP were 1000, 5.8, and 2.2 g m−2 day−1, while the maximum (wind speed, 16 m s−1) rates were 5000, 24.7, and 5.4 g m−2 day−1, respectively.