Water, salt and nutrient flux through the lower Meghna River estuary, Bangladesh

Abstract

Water, nutrient and Salt transport through the lower Meghna River-estuary, a combined flow of the Ganges and Brahmaputra and many other rivers and creeks, were studied. Material (salt, water and nutrients) fluxes covering an area of about 532 km² were calculated. Present study consists a single layer simple box model to study the budget of the materials in the lower reaches of the river estuary. Hatiya Channel, the system produces net amount of DIP and DIN in almost all the seasons i.e. source of nutrients, and the production of nutrients were higher during monsoon. Residual water volume and mixing volume were high during monsoon. A quick exchange of residual water takes place during monsoon.