Sediment transport induced by tidal bores. An estimation from suspended matter measurements in the Sée River (Mont-Saint-Michel Bay, northwestern France)

Tidal bores are believed to induce significant sediment transport in macrotidal estuaries. However, due to high turbulence and very large suspended sediment concentration (SSC), the measurement of sediment transport induced by a tidal bore is actually a technical challenge. Consequently, very few quantitative data have been published so far. This paper presents SSC measurements performed in the Sée River estuary (Mont-Saint-Michel Bay, northwestern France) during the tidal bore passage with direct and indirect (optical) methods. Both methods are calibrated in laboratory in order to verify the consistency of measurements, to calculate the uncertainties, and to correct the raw data. The SSC measurements coupled with ADCP velocity data are used to calculate the instantaneous sediment transport (qs) associated with the tidal bore passage (up to 40 kg/m2/s).