The role of geological mouth islands on the morphodynamics of back-barrier tidal basins

Abstract. The morphodyamics of back-barrier tidal basins have been extensively investigated by numerical modelling, but the influence of mouth islands (which may be submerged under future sea level rise) has been rarely explored. Using the Dongshan Bay in southern China as a reference site, we explore numerically the effects of geological constraints (i.e., islands) on the long-term morphodynamics of back-barrier basins. Model results indicate that the spatial configuration of mouth islands can considerably affect the morphological development of tidal basins. The presence of mouth islands can increase both the current velocity and the residual current by narrowing the inlet cross-sectional area, resulting in more sediment suspension and transport. Meanwhile, erosion tends to occur in the tidal basin and sedimentation occurs in the ebb-delta area, and the erosion (or sedimentation) volume is larger with the presence of more mouth islands. Further, the spatial distribution of mouth islands can also considerably affect tidal basin evolution: the basin-side mouth islands tend to cause more basin erosion with higher tidal currents and more sediment transport, while the delta-side ones may play a hindering role resulting in sediment deposition in the basin. Finally, larger tidal prisms are observed in basins with more mouth islands and those with basin-side mouth islands, suggesting that the number and location of mouth islands can also affect the empirical relation between tidal prism and inlet cross-sectional area. This modelling study furthers the understanding of barrier basin morphodynamics affected by mouth islands and informs management strategies under a changing environment.