DYNAMICS OF A MASSIVE FRESH-WATER INFLUX IN THE CLYDE ESTUARY

The Clyde Estuary catchment area received an immense amount of rainfal l over a short period (9-11 December 1994) with an estimated return pe riod of over 500 years. The average flow into the Estuary is 156 m(3) s(-1), and the total peak flow gauged during this event was about 2000 m(3) s(-1). The influx of this water was monitored daily over the fol lowing week for a single transect across the Largs Channel. A cruise w as made around the Estuary at the peak of the influx on 16 December. P rofiles of salinity, temperature and photosynthetically active radiati on were taken at 38 stations, covering over 34 km. The daily and cruis e data are presented against background data collected since September 1994 for a single station in the Largs Channel. (C) 1997 Academic Pre ss Limited.