Dynamics of the turbidity maximum in the Fly River estuary, Papua New Guinea

Field studies in the Fly River estuary, Papua New Guinea, show that the turbidity maximum exists only at spring tides. The wind is important in wave-driven fluidization of the bed. The erosion rate varies with the sixth power of the water velocity. The suspended sediment settling velocity varies nonlinearly with the concentration. At least three-quarters of the river sediment inflow appears to be trapped in the estuary. A numerical hydrodynamics-sediment transport model is able to reproduce a number of the key features of the turbidity maximu, and suggests that the turbidity maximum is due to the simultaneous influence of the baroclinic circulation and the tidal pumping.