A new method for forcing numerical one-dimensional (1D) water column models
of turbulent tidal flow is presented. It needs as an input time series of
water depth and velocity at one point in the water column. These time serie
s are here interpreted as indirect measurements of the surface slope. The m
ethod is based on an operator splitting technique as discretization in time
in order to guarantee exact reproduction of the input data. For simple two
-dimensional (2D) flow in the xz plane, a parametrization of horizontal adv
ection is given which slightly improves the results. This new method is val
idated against the performance of a three-dimensional (3D) estuarine model
from which forcing data for the 1D model have been extracted. The advantage
of this method in relation to the classical method (prescription of surfac
e slopes) is demonstrated. As a demonstration of its potential, the method
is finally applied to turbulent tidal flow in the Eastern Scheldt, The Neth
erlands. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.