Lake Erie International Jetport Model Feasibility Investigation. Report 17-8. Results of Numerical Time-Dependent, Three-Dimensional, Storm Surge Analysis. Main Text and Appendixes A-F

The storm surge in Lake Erie in particular along the shoreline from Lorain, Ohio to Fairport, Ohio has been studied for existing conditions and as modified by a proposed jetport island located approximately four miles offshore near Cleveland, Ohio. This report includes data from numerical simulations of storm surge and three-dimensional, time-dependent horizontal velocity regimes associated with interpreted wind fields for storms of 8-9 April 1973, 25-27 November 1950 and 7-10 November 1913. In the study, the lake is assumed to be isothermal (constant density) and solutions are obtained for the entire lake and for a nearshore area near Cleveland. The report primarily presents the results of numerical simulation of storm surges, briefly summarizes the hydrodynamic model used and succinctly presents interpreted wind fields of the selected storms. Included in the data are vector plots of interpreted wind velocity over the lake, contours of surge elevations for entire lake and nearshore region, time history plots of surge elevations at selected points and vector plots of horizontal velocity at various depth levels in the nearshore region. Difference in surge elevations and horizontal velocity in the nearshore region with and without the jetport island are presented. Results of the study based on numerical simulation of storm surge in Lake Erie indicate that the effect of the jetport island on storm surge is locally confined around the jetport island and along approximately 10 miles of shoreline in the immediate vicinity of the jetport. These jetport effects are minimal with surge increases of 5 to 30 percent around jetport and 1 to 5 percent along the shoreline. See also Rept. no. 17-7 dated Feb 76, AD-A036 242.