Sediment dynamics in golden horn estuary

Golden Horn is one of the most attractive and historical place in Istanbul because sea river interaction, and different ancient cultural and spiritual heritage. According to environmental perspective sediment deposition (or erosion) at river mouth always crucial for coastal zones. Quality and quantity of the sediment and determination of the deposition and erosion places in the coastal places are an important issue for this subject. In the presented study, sediment samples were supplied from river mouths towards the Golden Horn (Halic) estuary, flow conditions determined and density differences were measured. Bathymetry were measured and hydrodynamic model were applied for understanding sediment dynamics of this system for different hydrological such as flood/drought or average discharges from rivers calculated. Hydrodynamic model and measurement results shows that sediment settlement in the Golden Horn Estuary is important problem and sediment transport in the river by density differences and settle in the estuary. Dredging of the sediment also serious environmental issue in the study area. Hydrodynamic model with a sediment transport interaction shows that sediment particles carry in the estuary.