Hectic but satisfying

This upcoming week will be a hectic one. There is still a lot of preparation needed for my trip towards Vietnam. It feels like I’m moving one step forward and two steps backwards. However, I have gained so much knowhow on giving an expert judgement based on as little as noting. Phase 1 which is the Sobek part is almost finished. The last two topics of this first phase are modelling the amount of sediment through the bypass and making an objective MCA analysis on the possible route.

Last Friday I have started my first model calculation within Delft3D, the first output of the model does look quite promising and in the same time quite shocking. The model still needs to be further calibrated and fine tuned. However, the results with this roughly set-up model do give a good impression on what the behaviour could be, if 4000m3/s would enter the Gulf of Thailand in one month. Due to the very limited tidal action the fresh water cloud will hang quite long in the bay area between Xom Ba Tra and Rach Gia. Waves are not taken into account, but base on the Monsoon climate wave action patterns waves in this part of the world aren’t that much. Thus by discharging such an enormous amount of fresh water could result in a large area which will be come brackish water.

The trip towards Vietnam is coming closer, therefore the pressure to finalise the set-up phase of the model is also nearing. Therefore the up-coming week will be a hectic one, because not only do I need to finalize phase 1 but also starting to arrange things for Vietnam.

My next blog would most probably be from Vietnam!