Downscaling With an Unstructured Coastal-Ocean Model to the Goro Lagoon and the Po River Delta Branches

The Goro Lagoon Finite Element Model (GOLFEM) presented in this paper concentrates on the high-resolution downscaled model of Lagoon, along with five Po river branches and coastal area delta northern Adriatic Sea (Italy) where crucial socio-economic activities take place. GOLFEM was validated by means validation scores (bias – BIAS, root mean square error RMSE, absolute MAE) for water level, current velocity, salinity temperature measured at several fixed stations lagoon. range are: between ?0.8 to +1.2°C, from ?0.2 5 PSU, sea level 0.1 m. lagoon is dominated an estuarine vertical circulation due a double opening mouth sustained multiple sources freshwater inputs. non-linear interactions among tidal forcing, wind inputs affect both seasonal daily time scales. sensitivity forcings analyzed experiments done exclusion forcing different configurations connections. designed resolve dynamics high resolution order evaluate potential effects clam farming two proposed scenarios human intervention morphology connection sea. We calculated changes speed salinity, using opportune fitness indexes related clams physiology, we quantified analytically interventions terms extension persistence areas optimal growth. results demonstrate that correct management kind fragile environment relies long-term (intervention scenarios) short-term (coastal flooding forecasts anoxic conditions) modeling, based flexible tool able consider all recorded This study also demonstrates importance designing seamless chain models are capable integrating local into coarser operational oceanographic models.