Hydrodynamic atlas for Kuwaiti territorial waters

Long term wave data are important for the design of coastal structures and the estimation of sediment transport rates. Such data are usually obtained by hindcasting waves from wind data. However, the use of simplistic hindcasting formulas yields unrealistic results. In the present study, a third-generation wind-driven wave model (WAM) is used to generate 12 years of wave data for the Arabian Gulf. WAM is a two dimensional model that uses non-stationary and non-homogeneous wind fields to predict wind-generated waves. In addition, the Resource Modeling Associates (RMA-10) hydrodynamic model is used to generate 13 months of information on tidal currents and water levels in the Arabian Gulf with focus on Kuwaiti territorial waters. A data base has been created in order to provide a user-friendly environment for data visualization and extraction. It is found that the maximum significant wave height in Kuwaiti territorial waters is 3.5 m for the data covering a period of 12 years, and the maximum tidal water level fluctuations are of the order of 4 m. This valuable data source will be useful for organizations involved in planning, design, operation, and maintenance works related to coastal projects in Kuwait