Sediment Exchange between the Dutch Coast and the Tidal Basin Western Scheldt : a dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the degree of MSc in Engineering in the Coastal Environment by instructional course.

To understand the sediment exchange between the Dutch coast and the tidal basin Western Scheldt, the mechanism responsible for this transport must be identified. This study focusses the interaction between tide and bathymetry. The main objective of this study is to identify the mechanisms governing the import/export of sediments at the mouth of the Western Scheldt. The evaluation of the relative importance of the tide-driven sediment transport in this phenomenon is an essential first step. In general, the principal forcing factors of water motion in well mixed estuaries are: the astronomical tide, the meteorological factors and the river flow (Wang et al., 1999).