Physical processes affecting pollutant levels discharged from outfalls in Sulaibikhat Bay: Kuwait
Yousef Alosairi, Tanuspong Pokavanich, Altaf Taqi, Ali Hammad
Wednesday 1 july 2015
11:30 - 11:45h
at Asia (level 0)
Themes: (T) Hydro-environment, (ST) Impacts of pollutants on the water environment
Parallel session: 9G. Environment - Impact
Coastal areas of Kuwait has been receiving a major concerns by the public and the environmental sectors in the country. This is due to the increasing threats rising from various anthropogenic activities along the coastline. In particular, sewage and storm water discharges has been considered to be one of the main sources of pollution in the region. This has resulted in a number of issues related to poor water quality. Most recently, Sulaibikhat Bay, which inhabit a small portion of Kuwait Bay, have experienced intermediary fish kill on 18th September 2014. In the current study, the discharges from the outfalls in Sulaibikhat Bay has been investigated by means of mixing and dispersion using the well established numerical model Delft-3D. The results have shown that various physical forces may play a key role in elevating the concentration levels, of numerical tracers, in the near and off shore regions. In particular, the dominant northwesterly winds have contributed significantly in loading Sulaibikhat Bay with pollutants originated neighboring water body within Kuwait Bay. In addition, stratified water near Sulaibikhat Bay has reduced mixing processes and therefore increased the concentration levels that made it susceptible for hypoxic conditions during summer season.
