Hydrodynamic Impacts of Tidal Power Lagoons in the Bay of Fundy (original) (raw)

2012, Coastal Engineering Proceedings

The Bay of Fundy (BoF) in eastern Canada has long been recognised as one of the world's premier locations for the development of tidal power generating systems, since it has some of the world's largest tidal ranges. Several proposals have been made in recent years to find economical ways to harness the power of these extremely high tides, including constructing one or more tidal power lagoons in the upper part of the Bay. The tidal power lagoon concept involves temporarily storing seawater behind an impoundment dike and generating power by gradually releasing the impounded seawater through conventional low-head hydroelectric turbines. A tidal power lagoon will inherently modify the tides and tidal currents in the vicinity of the lagoon, and possibly induce effects that may be felt throughout the entire BoF and Gulf of Maine. The nature of these hydrodynamic impacts will likely depend on the size of the tidal lagoon, its location, and its method of operation. It is important to have reliable estimates of these potential impacts, since any changes in tidal hydrodynamics caused by a tidal lagoon may upset ecosystems that are well adapted to existing conditions. The scale and character of the potential hydrodynamic impacts due to tidal power lagoons operating in the BoF have not been previously investigated. This paper presents the results of study in which a 2D (depth-averaged) hydrodynamic model based on the TELEMAC modelling system was developed and applied to analyze, predict, and quantify the potential changes in tidal hydrodynamics (water levels, tidal range, circulation patterns and tidal currents) throughout the Bay of Fundy and Gulf of Maine due to the presence of a single tidal lagoon and multiple lagoons operating at various locations in the upper BoF. The sensitivity to changes in lagoon type, size, location, the number of lagoons, and their operating mode was also investigated and established. The final purpose of this novel study is to assist with decisions concerning the development of the vast tidal energy resources available in the Bay of Fundy, Canada.