Tidal Prediction in the Sea Scheldt (Belgium) Using a Combination of Harmonic Tidal Prediction and 1D Hydraulic Modeling

The vertical tide in the Sea Scheldt (Belgium) is predicted using a combination of harmonic tidal prediction and 1D hydraulic modeling. At Prosperpolder (a measurement station close to the Dutch-Belgian border), four years of water level data (2009-2012) are analyzed to obtain the harmonic components at that location. The accuracy of the harmonic prediction is checked with a statistical analysis of an astronomical hindcast for 2009-2012 against measurements. An existing 1D hydraulic model of the tidally influenced part of the Scheldt estuary is cut off at Prosperpolder. The time series of tidally predicted water levels at Prosperpolder is used as a downstream boun-dary condition for the hydraulic model. In this way, a tidal prediction can be obtained for any loca-tion in the Sea Scheldt, also for locations where no harmonic components are available, whilst gu-aranteeing the consistency between the predicted time series