The Guadiana turbid plume at the inner shelf, as observed in Project SIRIA, 1999-2000

Abstract

Three hydro-chemical-sedimentological surveys were carried out in January 1999, September 1999 and January 2000 in a 90 km long shelf area centred on the Guadiana river mouth. No clear salinity signal was observed in association with the river outflow, which is a clear consequence of the rather low runoff values during the last two years. A more or less intense turbidity signal was, however, always detected. In January 1999 - when the runoff was low - it was detected close to the coast some 20 km west of the river mouth. Having in mind that a serious storm had occurred two weeks before the observations, it is suggested that the plume was due to wash-down of estuarine margins by the precipitation combined with sediment re-suspension just off the river mouth