Water, Salt and Nutrient Flux through the lower Meghna River estuary, Bangladesh

N MAHMOOD1, S R C HOWDHURY2, A S M S HARIF3, M M UDDIN3 AND M S U LLAH3 Professor, 2Assistant Professor, 3Research Associate Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Chittagong, Chittagong-4331, Bangladesh
E-mail: nuruddin@abnetbd.com
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Keywords: Nutrient flux, Meghna estuary, Bangladesh

Abstract
Water, Nutrient and Salt transport through the lower Meghna estuary, a combined flow of the Ganges and Brahmaputra and many other rivers, was studied. Despite a very complex network of rivers and channels, a simple approach of measuring these parameters for an annual cycle during premonsoon, monsoon and postmonsoon seasons covering an area of about 532 km2 results in knowledge in this previously untouched arena of material flux. Although, v astness and complexity of the estuary made it almost impossible to sample each and every creek and channel, an attempt was made to fit a single layer simple box model to study the budget of these materials in the lower reaches of the river estuary.

Study area description

The Meghna River is the main outlet of the Ganges-Brahmaputra river system collecting water from a vast catchment area of India, Bangladesh and Nepal. At the lower reaches of the river system the Meghna River is connected to numerous smaller rivers, channels and creeks before emptying into the Bay of Bengal to the southern middle part of Bangladesh. At the lower reaches, the river forms a huge estuary during the Figure 1: Map showing the budget site - lower Meghna River estuary premonsoon season and turns almost fresh during the monsoon and early 23 postmonsoon.
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This paper presents the budgets of water, salt and nutrients for the Lower Meghna River estuary using the LOICZ Biogeochemical Modelling Guidelines (Gordon et al, 1996). For the water, salt and nutrient budgeting an area of approximately 532 km2 between about 2225'N, 9040'E and 2240'N, 9105'E has been selected in the lower Meghna River (Figure 1). Average depth of the estuary is 5-6 m. Water level rises by about 1 m during the Monsoon from that of the premonsoon (Chowdhury, 1993).

Lower Meghna River estuary

BAY OF BENGAL
0
91 E

km 20

22 N

In: Assessment of material fluxes to the coastal zone in South Asia and their impacts, APN/SASCOM/LOICZ Workshop 8-11 December 2002, Negombo, Sri Lanka

Sampling and analysis

The lower Meghna River estuary and the mouth of the Meghna River were sampled during premonsoon, monsoon and postmonsoon seasons for a year between 2001 and 2002 for nutrients (NO3-, NO2-, NH4+, PO4- and SiO 2-) as well as other water quality parameters. Water samples were collected, preserved, transported and analyzed following standard procedure (Barnes, 1959; Strickland and Parsons, 1965; Parsons and Stickland, 1968; APHA, 1975; Suess, 1982; Jin-Eong et al, 1985). Rainfall data and discharge data were collected from Bangladesh Meteorological Department and the Institute of Water Modelling (former Surface Water Modelling Center) respectively. Evaporation was calculated from other atmospheric data. Groundwater exchange and outfall were assumed to be negligible. Data used in this budgeting exercise is shown in Table 1 and Table 2.
Table 1: Chemical composition of water samples from Lower Meghna river estuary (System) and the mouth of the river (Bayside) Season Lower Meghna Estuary Mouth of Meghna river Table 2: Pre-monsoon Monsoon Post-monsoon Pre-monsoon Monsoon Post-monsoon Salinity ppt 9.94 0 0 11.74 0.1 0.1 DIP mmol/m3 86.16 23.73 14.66 66.36 23.73 16.18 NO3mmol/m3 15.86 15.76 2.52 7.16 4.33 19.15 NO2mmol/m3 0.20 0.12 0.10 0.24 0.24 0.52 NH4+ mmol/m3 1.44 0.10 1.12 6.65 0.22 1.59 DIN mmol/m3 17.50 15.98 3.74 14.05 4.79 21.26

Model input parameters and assumptions Pre-monsoon 106 m3/day 83.524 34.261 6.472 Monsoon 106 m3/day 230.755 44.688 4399.357 0 (assumed) 0 (assumed) Post-monsoon 106 m3/day 16.736 52.774 1556.367

Precipitation Evaporation Discharge Groundwater Outfall

Water and salt budget

Salinity data in the lower Meghna River estuary and the mouth of the river shows that the whole regime turns almost fresh during the monsoon and postmonsoon seasons. Presence of small amount of salt at the mouth in these seasons detected by means of electrical conductivity makes it possible to budget the system. No significant vertical stratification was observed. Results of the water and salt budgeting are shown in Figure 2a through 2c.
Figure 2a: Water and salt budget for the lower Meghna River estuary in the Premonsoon season
VP = 83.52 VE = -34.26

PREMONSOON
VRSR = -604

VR = -55.70

VSyst = 2,660,000 VG = V O = 0 (assumed)

VQ = 6.47 SOuter = 11.74 SSyst = 9.94

SQ = 0 VGSG = 0

VX(SOuter-SSyst) = +604 VX = 336

Figure 2b: Water and salt budget for the lower Meghna River estuary in the Monsoon season
VP = 230.76 VE = - 44.69

MONSOON
VRSR = -229

VR = -4590

VSyst = 3,190,000 VG = V O = 0 (assumed)

VQ = 4,399.36 SOuter = 0.1 SSyst = 0 VX(SOuter-SSyst) = +229 VX = 2,290

SQ = 0 VGSG = 0

Figure 2c: Water and salt budget for the lower Meghna River estuary in the Postmonsoon season
VP = 16.74 VE = -52.77

POSTMONSOON
VRSR = -76

VR = -1,520

VSyst = 2,930,000 VG = V O = 0 (assumed)

VQ = 1,556.37 SOuter = 0.1 SSyst = 0 VX(SOuter-SSyst) = +76 VX = 760

SQ = 0 VGSG = 0

NP budget
The one layer single box DIP and DIN budgets for the lower Meghna River estuary system are shown in Figure 3a through 3c. An increase in fluxes is noticeable during the monsoon season followed in time and magnitude by the postmonsoon season.
Figure 3a: DIP and DIN budget for the lower Meghna River estuary in the Premonsoon season (fluxes in 106 mmol/day)
DIP atm = 0 (assumed) VR DIP R = -4,250 DIP Syst = 86.16 mmol/m 3

PREMONSOON
DIP Q = 0 VQ DIP Q = 0 VG DIP G = VQ DIP Q = 0 (assumed) VR DIN R = -879

DIN atm = 0 (assumed) DIN Q = 0 VQ DIN Q = 0 VG DIN G = VQ DIN Q = 0 (assumed)

DIP Outer = 66.36 DIP R = 76.26

DIN Outer = 14.05 DIN R = 15.78

DIN Syst = 17.50 mmol/m 3

VX (DIP Outer - DIP Syst) = -6,640

DIP = +10,900

VX (DIN Outer - DIN Syst) = -1,160

DIN = +2,040

Figure 3b: DIP and DIN budget for the lower Meghna River estuary in the Monsoon season (fluxes in 10 6 mmol/day)
DIP atm = 0 (assumed) VR DIP R = -109,000 DIP Syst = 23.73 mmol/m3 DIP Q = 0 V Q DIP Q = 0 V G DIP G = V Q DIP Q = 0 (assumed)

MONSOON

DIN atm = 0 (assumed) DIN Q = 0 V Q DIN Q = 0 V G DIN G = V Q DIN Q = 0 (assumed)

V R DIN R = -47,600 DIN Syst = 15.98 mmol/m3

DIP Outer = 23.73 DIP R = 23.73 V X(DIP Outer -DIP Syst) =0

DIN Outer = 4.79 DIN R = 10.39 V X(DIN Outer -DIN Syst) = -25,700

DIP = +109,000

DIN = +73,300

Figure 3c: DIP and DIN budget for the lower Meghna River estuary in the Postmonsoon season (fluxes in 106 mmol/day)
DIP atm = 0 (assumed) VR DIP R = -23,400 DIP Syst = 14.66 mmol/m 3

POSTMONSOON
DIP Q = 0 VQ DIP Q = 0 VG DIP G = VQ DIP Q = 0 (assumed)

DIN atm = 0 (assumed) DIN Q = 0 VQ DIN Q = 0 VG DIN G = VQ DIN Q = 0 (assumed)

VR DIN R = -19,000 DIN Syst = 3.74 mmol/m 3

DIP Outer = 16.18 DIP R = 15.42 VX(DIP Outer-DIP Syst) = -2,310

DIN Outer = 21.26 DIN R = 12.50 VX(DIN Outer-DIN Syst) = -13,300

DIP = +22,300

DIN = +5,690

Stoichiometric calculations of aspects of Net System Metabolism P values in the lower Meghna River estuary are positive in all three seasons. This could be attributed to a net production of DIP within the system and suggests that the estuary is mainly heterotrophic. Based on Redfield N:P ratio of 16:1, DINexp and (nfix-denit) were calculated for three seasons. Table 3 summarizes the ecosystem metabolism. High negative values of (nfixdenit) suggests an actively denitrifying system in the lower Meghna River-estuary.
Table 3: Season Premonsoon Monsoon Postmonsoon Estimated rates of nonconservative DIN fluxes and (nfix-denit) DIP mmol/m2/day 20.48 204.57 41.89 DINobs mmol/m2/day 3.83 137.77 10.69 DINexp mmol/m2/day 327.65 3273.12 670.27 (nfix-denit) mmol/m2/day -323.83 -3135.35 -659.58

References
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