COAWST model of Barnegat Bay creeks to demonstrate marsh dynamics

The COAWST (Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere-Wave-Sediment Transport) modeling framework was extended to add two key processes that affect marshes, erosion due to lateral wave thrust (LWT) and vertical accretion due to biomass productivity. The testing of the combined effects of integrating these two processes was done by modeling marsh complexes within Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge and the Barnegat Bay (BB) estuary, New Jersey, USA. The simulations were performed first for the month of May 2015 for the entire Barnegat Bay. The Barnegat Bay estuary solution was used to force the two smaller domains that encompass Reedy and Dinner Creeks and are modeled for the same time period.