A three-dimensional hydrodynamic model for the Gulf of Hammamet-Bay of Monastir: model validation and application

A model simulating the complex marine dynamics along the central-eastern coast of Tunisia is set up aiming at its application to coastal management and conservation studies. The model includes a zoom on the Bay of Monastir in the centre of the domain, a coastal area that suffers from environmental problems exacerbated by the intense economic activities it hosts. Model validation was performed using observational and analysis data. The model closely reproduces the main hydrodynamic characteristics of the water masses in relation to the complex bathymetry of the area and the effects of the large scale circulation, in particular the intrusion of the water masses of Atlantic origin. The seasonal variability and the effects of particular events as heavy precipitation episodes were also studied using the principal component analysis. It is concluded that the high resolution of the model allows a fine analysis of the water movements in particular in and around the Bay of Monastir which acts as a barrier to the water flow on the larger scale. As an application, the particle transport module included in the model was used to test the dispersion of matter along the coasts and offshore. It is shown that the release of particle-charged water when currents are directed offshore can improve the dispersion of particles away from the coasts, thus enabling better environmental conditions for the region.