Boston Harbor Navigation Channel Improvement Project, Field Data Collection Program Final Report
Abstract
A field data collection program in Boston Harbor, MA, was conducted for the U.S. Army Engineer District, New England, during the late fall and winter of 2004/2005. The purpose of the program was to obtain data needed to validate a numerical hydrodynamic model (ADvanced CIRCulation (ADCIRC) model) of Boston Harbor and adjacent areas. The currents calculated by the verified model were input to a ship simulator used to assess the design of the Boston Harbor navigation improvement project. A total of four water-level recorders and two acoustic profiling current meters were deployed on 10 November 2004. The water-level recorders were located adjacent to a bridge between Chelsea and East Boston in Boston s inner harbor, at the seaward end of Boston North Channel, at Gallops Island, and at the Hull Yacht Club in Allerton Harbor. The current meters were located at the seaward end of Boston North Channel and near the location where Boston's main navigation channel enters the inner harbor. Data from these instruments were supplemented by tide data from a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) tide gage in the inner harbor, and NOAA wind measurements at Logan Airport. In addition, daylight current transect surveys using a downward looking acoustic profiling current meter attached to a survey vessel were conducted on 11 November 2004 and 8 February 2005. Five transect survey lines across the main navigation channel were surveyed. All instrumentation was recovered on 7 and 8 February 2005. Maximum-measured ebb tidal currents in the harbor were 0.9 to 3.84 ft/sec. Maximum-measured flood currents were 0.77 to 3.61 ft/sec. In general, the ebb currents were stronger than the flood currents. The data from the current meter deployed at the seaward end of Boston North Channel were analyzed to evaluate the importance of the winddriven and tide-induced residual currents.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA469604
Entities
People
- Michael W. Tubman
Organizations
- Engineer Research and Development Center