Flow distribution and environmental dispersivity in a tidal wetland channel of rectangular cross-section

Presented in this paper is a theoretical analysis on flow distribution and environmental dispersivity for a tidal wetland channel of rectangular cross-section. The analytical solution of velocity distribution for the tidal wetland flow is obtained and illustrated with a limiting case covering the known solution for a steady wetland flow. By use of Aris’s method of concentration moments, the environmental dispersivity for a pulsed contaminant emission into the tidal wetland flow is rigorously derived and characterized in terms of dimensionless parameters. The solution is shown to be a generalization of the environmental dispersivity for the corresponding steady wetland flow, taking into account the combined action of periodic oscillation and cross-sectional variation of superficial flow as well as the difference between superficial mass dispersivities in the vertical and lateral directions. For a long time evolution of the contaminant cloud, the environmental dispersivity may approach a stable stage of oscillation with a period equal to the period of the superficial flow. The evolution of environmental dispersivity at the initial stage for the tidal wetland flow is shown not monotonous as it does in the case of the steady wetland flow. It is also found that the period of superficial flow has no impact on the necessary time for the environmental dispersivity to attain the stable stage.