Estuarine reservoirs are water-resource facilities constructed in reclaimed coastal and estuarine regions to supply agricultural water and to mitigate damage caused by high tides. In South Korea, these reservoirs provide substantial storage capacity a...
Estuarine reservoirs are water-resource facilities constructed in reclaimed coastal and estuarine regions to supply agricultural water and to mitigate damage caused by high tides. In South Korea, these reservoirs provide substantial storage capacity and water supply, and account for a significant share of agricultural water use. However, because estuarine reservoirs are located at the downstream end of watersheds, they are vulnerable to water-quality deterioration due to upstream pollutant inflows. In addition, salinity intrusion from bottom sediments, dikes, and sluice-gate operations can reduce the stability of the freshwater supply. Freshwater releases through sluice gates may also affect the marine environment and biota in adjacent coastal waters. Therefore, quantitative diagnosis of stratification development and mixing structures within reservoirs is essential for rational operation and management.
The objective of this study is to quantify the spatiotemporal characteristics of stratification in Ganwol Estuarine Reservoir using the Potential Energy Anomaly (PEA, φ) and a surface–bottom salinity difference–based stratification index (Salinity-difference-based stratification index, SI), and to interpret the associated mixing and flow structures. To this end, a watershed–reservoir coupled modeling framework was established, in which river inflows were simulated using the Hydrological Simulation Program–Fortran (HSPF), and hydrodynamics and water quality within the reservoir were simulated using the Environmental Fluid Dynamics Code (EFDC). Streamflow performance was evaluated, and reservoir water levels were represented using the model's water-balance formulation. Water temperature and salinity were assessed using statistical metrics and time-series comparisons, demonstrating overall reproducibility sufficient for use as input data in stratification and density-structure analyses. However, limitations in reproducing localized variability during the validation period were identified at some stations, indicating that site-specific uncertainty should be considered in the interpretation.
Stratification indices were calculated from EFDC results using MATrix LABoratory (MATLAB) and expressed as volume-weighted averages accounting for grid area and depth. The mean PEA over the entire simulation period was 9.35 J/m³, exhibiting a pronounced seasonal cycle characterized by very weak stratification from January to March, rapid intensification after April, a maximum during July–August, and rapid weakening after September. When strong stratification was defined as φ ≥ 20 J/m³, it occurred from May to September, with the highest frequency during June–August. Although summer peaks were observed consistently across years, differences in magnitude were evident, suggesting that stratification strength is sensitive to variations in inflow, meteorological, and operational conditions. The SI also showed similar seasonality, with strengthening during July–September and weakening during November–March; however, differences were observed in the timing of stratification onset and peak compared to PEA. Thus, while both indices consistently captured enhanced summer stratification, they emphasized different aspects of stratification development.
This study quantitatively demonstrates the hydrological and water-quality performance of a coupled HSPF–EFDC modeling framework for the Ganwol Estuarine Reservoir and provides a stratification diagnosis by jointly applying PEA and SI, including seasonal and interannual variability and the frequency of strong stratification. The results indicate that stratification risk is concentrated during May–September, offering a quantitative basis for setting operational priorities and managing risks to bottom-water environments. Nevertheless, at the present stage, the causal contributions of pumping withdrawals and sluice-gate releases to stratification changes cannot be conclusively determined. Quantification of operational impacts is expected to be possible through the integrated use of operational records and scenario simulations that explicitly vary release timing and magnitude.