Hudson Cruise, June 4-16, 2013 - Minas Basin
Lead: Brent Law, DFO (Bedford Institute of Oceanography)
Partners: BIO, Acadia University, Dalhousie University
Project Duration: 2013
The goal of the mission was to collect water column and seabed data from the Upper Bay of Fundy. More specifically, to make measurements of the hydrodynamics and sediment dynamics in the Minas Basin area in support of the advancement of tidal power and to document baseline conditions. Measurements collected from this research will be used to parameterize and validate coupled hydrodynamic and sediment models and to increase the predictive capacity of models in forecasting possible future environmental impacts of tidal power development and expansion.
The research has five basic objectives:
- to collect observations of water column properties such as current velocities, suspended sediment concentration, particle size and settling velocity and surface reflectance.
- to collect seabed samples for grain size in the Minas Basin
- to quantify erodibility of seabed sediments through coring and the use of a Gust microcosm erosion chamber
- to parameterize the water column and seabed measurements for use in a coupled sediment hydrodynamic FVCOM model to predict change to the ecosystem as a result of tidal power expansion
- to provide advice on possible change in sediment dynamics and hydrodynamics in the Upper Bay of Fundy as a result of tidal power expansion