200
Gerardo M.E. Perillo . M. Cintia Piccolo
lE+4
lE+3
:g
.0
:g
lE + 2
'='
d = 1.87 XO.0 24
lE+ 1
o
10
20
30
40
50
60
Distance from head (km)
Fig. 9.3. Variation of the depth (d) and breadth (b) for the Principal Channel of the Bahia Blanca
Estuary with distance from the head and their estimated exponential fit. The channel width shows
an exponential variation in almost all the channel whereas depth keeps a good fit from 8 km seaward
The Principal Channel has a total length of 60 km and varies in width from about
3-4 km at the mouth to only 200 m at the head. Water depth (all depths are referred
to the Datum Plane for the main tidal gage of the area located in Puerto Belgrano) in
the channels varies also from 22 m near the mouth to 3 m at the head. However, depth
changes are more dramatic within the outer 10-20 km. Taking into consideration only
the channel itself, both depth and width show an almost exponential increase from
head to mouth (Fig. 9.3). Depth values were estimated before the 1990 dredging and
they did not considered the actual dredged depths
In fact, the Principal Channel as well as all other major channels (bays) flowing
into the inner shelf, are partly closed by modified ebb deltas which will be described
in detail further on. From the shore-connected ebb delta (Cuadrado and Perillo 1997)
that closes the Principal Channel headward, depth drops rapidly to 20-22 m for approximately 14 km with minor sills that may reduce depth to 18 m. Within this reach,
the largest sand wave field on the estuary was discovered and described by Alliota and
Perillo (1987). The general cross section of the channel is steep on the sides with the
bottom having a relatively small asymmetry to the right.
The relatively V-shaped bottom is maintained for almost all the channel to some
2 km past Puerto Galvan (Fig. 9.1). General depth in this middle section is 6 m. The
only change observed there is the presence of the dredged channel from Puerto
Belgrano to 2 km before Ingeniero White, with an artificial depth of 14 m. The width
of the navigation channel in this section is 400 m, whereas the total width of the Principal Channel is between 2 and 2.5 km. Between this point and Puerto Galvan all the
complete cross section of the estuary has been dredged to 16 m.
Gerardo M.E. Perillo . M. Cintia Piccolo
lE+4
lE+3
:g
.0
:g
lE + 2
'='
d = 1.87 XO.0 24
lE+ 1
o
10
20
30
40
50
60
Distance from head (km)
Fig. 9.3. Variation of the depth (d) and breadth (b) for the Principal Channel of the Bahia Blanca
Estuary with distance from the head and their estimated exponential fit. The channel width shows
an exponential variation in almost all the channel whereas depth keeps a good fit from 8 km seaward
The Principal Channel has a total length of 60 km and varies in width from about
3-4 km at the mouth to only 200 m at the head. Water depth (all depths are referred
to the Datum Plane for the main tidal gage of the area located in Puerto Belgrano) in
the channels varies also from 22 m near the mouth to 3 m at the head. However, depth
changes are more dramatic within the outer 10-20 km. Taking into consideration only
the channel itself, both depth and width show an almost exponential increase from
head to mouth (Fig. 9.3). Depth values were estimated before the 1990 dredging and
they did not considered the actual dredged depths
In fact, the Principal Channel as well as all other major channels (bays) flowing
into the inner shelf, are partly closed by modified ebb deltas which will be described
in detail further on. From the shore-connected ebb delta (Cuadrado and Perillo 1997)
that closes the Principal Channel headward, depth drops rapidly to 20-22 m for approximately 14 km with minor sills that may reduce depth to 18 m. Within this reach,
the largest sand wave field on the estuary was discovered and described by Alliota and
Perillo (1987). The general cross section of the channel is steep on the sides with the
bottom having a relatively small asymmetry to the right.
The relatively V-shaped bottom is maintained for almost all the channel to some
2 km past Puerto Galvan (Fig. 9.1). General depth in this middle section is 6 m. The
only change observed there is the presence of the dredged channel from Puerto
Belgrano to 2 km before Ingeniero White, with an artificial depth of 14 m. The width
of the navigation channel in this section is 400 m, whereas the total width of the Principal Channel is between 2 and 2.5 km. Between this point and Puerto Galvan all the
complete cross section of the estuary has been dredged to 16 m.