Data From: The Influence of Channel Deepening on Tides, River Discharge Effects, and Storm Surge

The study compares historical and modern tidal records in the Saint Johns River Estuary, and finds that tidal range has more than doubled near Jacksonville, Florida between the 1890s and today. Subsequently, numerical modeling based on historical and modern bathymetry is used to investigate hurricane Irma. Simulation results show that storm surge has also increased, for the same reasons as tides: increased channel depth, shortening of the shipping channel, and reduced friction. However, river flow effects have decreased, due to more efficient drainage of river water. As a result, hurricane Irma is modeled to be larger on historical bathymetry, compared to modern depths. The results show that the changed hydrodynamics make the region around Jacksonville more exposed to marine-based flooding, but less susceptible to river floods. Other regions with similar tides that have undergone significant channel deepening in the past may be similarly sensitive to anthropogenic changes to bathymetry