Numerical modeling of ocean currents and suspended sediment distribution in Benoa Bay, Bali

Department of Marine Science and Technology, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, IPB University, 16680 Bogor, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: sitisulistiana@apps.ipb.ac.id

Abstract

Benoa Bay is a semi-enclosed water body that includes a shallow estuary area that supports important aquatic ecosystems, including mangrove ecosystems, seagrass beds, and coral reefs. The reclamation of Benoa Harbor and the construction of a toll road in Benoa Bay are suspected to have increased sedimentation. The objective of this study is to model ocean currents and suspended sediment distribution during the Northwest and Southeast monsoons in the waters of Benoa Bay. Numerical models are used to describe the hydrodynamic process as the main driver of the process of pollutant movement in the waters. The current pattern resulting from the model in the waters of Benoa Bay has the same pattern in the Northwest and Southeast Monsoons, with the current velocity of the Northwest Monsoon ranging from 0 – 1.6583 m/s and the Southeast Monsoon ranging from 0 – 1.4729 m/s. The distribution of suspended sediment in the Northwest Monsoon is quite high compared to the Southeast Monsoon. The distribution of suspended sediment in the Northwest Monsoon ranges from 0 – 846 mg/L and in the Southeast Monsoon, it ranges from 0 – 598 mg/L.