Topics Covered

In this module, you will develop the skills necessary to construct and calibrate a mass balance model and address the feasibility of a coastal restoration project. The module is organized into 8 sections. Overview of the Restoration Project (Section 1) Mass Balance Model (Section 2) Data Preparation (Section 3) Modeling Flow through Structures (Section 4) Model Setup (Section 5) Model Calibration and Evaluation (Section 6) Simulation of Project Impact (Section 7) Topics for Further Consideration (Section 8) In Section 1, you will be introduced to the ME-23 freshwater introduction project and gain an understanding of how coastal marshes are maintained using control structures and marsh management plans. Section 2 will introduce the concept of a mass balance model and present the fundamental equations used to calculate water volume, water level, and salinity in this module. Section 3 will involve collecting and preparing times series data that will be used in the model. After the necessary time series data is retrieved, Section 4 will discuss details of the 4 existing control structures and how orifice and weir equations will be applied to describe the flow through these 4 unique structures. In Section 5 the mass balance model will be constructed in Excel using the mass balance equations, weir and orifice equations, and the times series data. Once the model is constructed, Section 6 will involve calibrating and evaluating the model using observed values and statistics. Section 7 will address the impact and feasibility of the project. Lastly, Section 8 will conclude the module by addressing the challenges and uncertainties involved with numerical.d