Oceanic and Hydrologic Influences on Flow and Water Properties in the St. Jones River Estuary, Delaware

Influences of tides, freshwater discharge, and winds on water properties in the St. Jones River estuary (USA), a Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve, were investigated using multiyear records of sea level, salinity, and turbidity, supplemented by a current profiler time series in 2007. Results demonstrate that instantaneous properties fluctuate with semidiurnal tides and resonant overtides, whereas tidal mean variations are forced by seasonal freshwater inflow and offshore winds. Mean sea level and salinity are highest in summer and vary with seasonal water temperature and rainfall, whereas sea level variability and turbidity are highest in winter on account of storm effects. Salinity and discharge modeling suggest that much (43-65%) of the freshwater resident in the estuary is derived from non-point sources below the head of tide. This diffuse freshwater inflow produces a seaward surface slope and weak mean current, which temporarily reverses under the influence of storm-wind setup within Delaware Bay.