The Impact of Sea Level Rise in the Guadiana Estuary

Abstract

Understanding the impact of sea level rise on coastal areas is crucial as a large percentage of the population live on the coast. This study uses computational tools to examine how two major consequences of sea level rise: salt intrusion and an increase in water volume affect the hydrodynamics and flooding areas of a major estuary in the Iberian Peninsula. A 2D numerical model created with the software MOHID was used to simulate the Guadiana Estuary in different scenarios of sea level rise combined with different freshwater flow rates. An increase in salinity was found in response to an increase in mean sea level in low and intermediate freshwater flow rates. An increase in flooding areas around the estuary were also positively correlated with an increase in mean sea level.