Application of a Coupled Wave and Hydrodynamic Model over Complex Bathymetry in Eastern Lake Ontario

The Kingston Basin in eastern Lake Ontario is a region with complex bathymetry including islands, shoals and deeper channels. This area can have waves over 5 m in height and storm surges on the order of 1 m, forced by strong westerly fall and winter storm winds. We characterize the waves, hydrodynamics and thermal structure from observations acquired by acoustic Doppler current profilers, thermistor chains, optical backscatter loggers, water level sensors and wave gauges collected over the 2012 winter period. The SWAN and Delft3D coupled models, validated by the observations, are used to simulate the wave and hydrodynamic conditions for two large storm events. The model was forced with forecast data from the Great Lakes Coastal Forecasting System, observations from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration and Environment Canada. Results indicate that there is strong spatial variability in wave conditions due to refraction and focusing of the bathymetry. Future work will extend the model to determine the potential environmental impacts of offshore wind farm construction in the region.