Three-Dimensional Numerical Modeling of Flow Circulations in Lake Pontchartrain

This paper presents the development and application of a three-dimensional numerical model for simulating the flow circulations in Lake Pontchartrain, LA. The water movements within the lake are primarily wind and tide induced. Tidal currents influence the lake circulations through a few narrow passages with mild amplitude of the tidal cycles. The wind and tide-induced hydrodynamics dominate transport processes in the lake. In this study, the developed model was first verified against analytical solutions of wind-driven and tide-driven flows; then it was applied to simulate the flow fields in Lake Pontchartrain. This model was also applied to simulate Hurricane Rita induced flow fields. The simulated water surface elevation and flow currents were generally in good agreement with field measurements provided by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). This model provides a useful tool to analyze the flow currents induced by wind and tide in large natural lakes.