Understanding the Hydrodynamics of Umm Al Quwain Lagoons Through Numerical Modelling

Umm Al Quwain (UAQ) lagoon is a natural lagoon located in the northeastern part of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Understanding the water circulation in the lagoon is essential for implementing the effective conservation measure to withstand future morphological changes. In this study, a two-dimensional hydrodynamics model is applied for UAQ lagoon using Delft3D-FM to investigate tide variability and currents within and on adjacent coastal lagoon region. The results show a maximum positive water level inside the lagoon of approximately 1.22m relative to local mean sea level. Water levels within the vicinity of the lagoon range from − 0.95m to 1.22m. Additionally, it was identified areas within the lagoon where currents speed increases up to 1.6 m/s or higher due to the narrow inlet in the western entrances. However, most currents inside the lagoon are calmer and vary from 0.1 m/s to 0.4 m/s which may result in longer residence time and lower flushing efficiency to sediment depositions. The findings of this study provide a baseline study of the flow characteristics at UAQ lagoon and enable future broader research.