Deltas and Oceans
![Photo collage of ocean and delta pictures](/sites/cse.umn.edu/files/styles/folwell_full/public/Deltas%20and%20Oceans.png.webp?itok=n-syh_G2)
SAFL conducts research as it relates to ocean and shoreline (primarily delta) related processes. Research involving oceanic currents, transport of oil spills, wind-wave interactions, the atmosphere-ocean transfer of greenhouse gases, and other upper-ocean flow processes helps continue to build a better physical understanding of oceanic processes and enables more powerful numerical simulations. SAFL's delta research relates to the development of techniques for replicating all the main forms of natural deltas at experimental scales, and combining the resulting experimental data with field observations to be able to predict deltaic stratigraphy, as well as to ‘mine’ natural strata for insight on delta response to changes such as sea-level rise and population growth. SAFL also has historically conducted laboratory experiments looking at turbidity currents, or gravity-driven flows, on the ocean floor.
SAFL Affiliated Faculty
Chris Paola
Gary Parker
Lian Shen
SAFL Researchers
Jeffrey Marr
Read more about SAFL deltas and oceans related projects/research:
(filter "Deltas and Oceans" if needed)
MINUHET software tool available for practitioners to better assess temperature impacts of stormwater runoff in trout streams
Posted
MINUHET is a stand-alone software tool use to simulate the flow of stormwater surface runoff and its associated heat content through a small watershed. Interested practitioners can download the software on this page.
![Photo of a turbine array, and an image of a topographical scan of the same turbine array](/sites/cse.umn.edu/files/styles/medium/public/turbine%20array%20results%20%281%29.png.webp?itok=_a5D0In9)
Harnessing clean energy from rivers through hydrokinetic turbine arrays
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Hydrokinetic turbines are an emerging hydropower technology that take advantage of moving water currents to generate power.
![Image of the wind turbulence over breaking waves simulation](/sites/cse.umn.edu/files/styles/medium/public/wind%20turbulence%20over%20breaking%20waves.png.webp?itok=_h8StYXI)
A numerical simulation of wind turbulence over breaking waves
Posted
Researchers studied the effect of waves breaking on the airflow above the waves. Research like this regarding wind and wave interactions can be used to improve ocean-atmosphere interaction models.
![Photo of the experiment in the SAFL delta basins, showing a model delta with barrier islands forming along the delta coast](/sites/cse.umn.edu/files/styles/medium/public/DSC_1790.jpg.webp?itok=-XTKS9j_)
Mapping the evolution of barrier islands: Nature’s original coastline defense
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Barrier islands act as natural barriers between the ocean and the mainland by blocking waves and resisting storm winds, giving protection to inland areas which are ecologically rich as well as economic hubs. As sea levels continue to rise with climate change, there is much concern about how rising seas will impact the ongoing evolution of barrier islands and the level of protection they afford inland coastlines.
![Andy Erickson giving a thumbs up while working at a field site](/sites/cse.umn.edu/files/styles/medium/public/featured%20image.jpg.webp?itok=MlySzaVe)
Evaluating the effectiveness of pretreatment practices for rain gardens
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The purpose of this project was to evaluate the effectiveness of different pretreatment devices in Minnesota. The objective was to gather quantitative data using a common method that will allow for comparisons across devices.
![Katie Kemmitt collecting friction data on permeable pavement using a portable friction tester](/sites/cse.umn.edu/files/styles/medium/public/IMG_6715%20%281%29.JPG.webp?itok=p8uHrxLN)
Evaluating permeable pavement as an alternative to road salt application
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The Minnesota Department of Transportation tasked SAFL researchers with evaluating the use of unsalted permeable pavement in comparison to traditional impermeable salted pavement. Permeable pavement refers to a surface where water can infiltrate into pavement and ultimately become groundwater, rather than running off pavement into the stormwater system.
![Photo of the SAFL ecoflume from above, during USGS fish experiments](/sites/cse.umn.edu/files/styles/medium/public/_DSC0967%20%281%29.JPG.webp?itok=YgKskhOB)
SAFL team designs flume to support juvenile fish studies
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The United States Geological Survey (USGS) tasked SAFL researchers with the design of a race-track style flume, with the geometry and hydraulic conditions for early life stages of pallid sturgeon, an ancient but endangered fish species which historically inhabited the Missouri and lower Mississippi rivers
![Photo of Ajay Limaye standing outside the main channel during an experiment](/sites/cse.umn.edu/files/styles/medium/public/_DSC9066%20%281%29.jpg.webp?itok=ZP7kHPZk)
Channel belt evolution in braided rivers
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Channel belts are wide corridors created by the movement of a river over time, as shown by geologic indicators such as abandoned channels and eroded valley margins. The purpose of this study was to evaluate how channel migration causes individual braided channel belts to grow using SAFL's main channel.
![Photo of Rob Gabrielson adding a red dye tracer to the water near a pump inlet](/sites/cse.umn.edu/files/styles/medium/public/IMG_4396.JPG.webp?itok=wr7Hapny)
Broadway Pump Station Physical Model
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After a 2011 flood caused extensive damage in Minot, North Dakota, MWH Americas, Inc. was hired to design a pumping station as part of the Mouse River Enhanced Flood Protection Plan, to pump stormwater over the river levee during flood events. The applied engineering team at the St. Anthony Falls Laboratory was then tasked to build a physical model of the proposed pumping station to identify and mitigate unanticipated/unacceptable flow patterns prior to construction.
Long-throated U-flume study
Posted
SAFL researchers built a scale model of a round-bottomed long-throated flume, in order to validate Winflume software for this specific flume geometry.