Analyzing hydrodynamic changes in the Dubai Creek: a pre- and post-extension study

Abstract

This thesis presents a comparative study that examines the effects of the Dubai Creek extension on its hydrodynamics and water flushing dynamics. Dubai Creek (Khor Dubai) is a 24km artificial seawater stream located in the emirate of Dubai, separating Deira and Bur Dubai. The creek has experienced rapid urbanization with a major 13km extension project, which connected the creek with the Arabian Gulf from the other side. This increase in human activities and rapid development in the Dubai Creek area affects the water quality and the aquatic ecosystem and causes the creek’s water quality degradation. In this project, two-dimensional hydrodynamic and flushing models were created to investigate the water circulation and water quality of the creek before and after the extension. The Old and Existing Creek models were developed using Delft3D Flexible Mesh Suit. The hydrodynamic models were calibrated and validated to accurately simulate water levels and currents with correlation values close to 1 and very small RMSE and Bias. With the output of the hydrodynamic models, flushing models were created to simulate water renewal along the creek. The results of the flushing models showed a significant improvement in the flushing capabilities in terms of residence times of the Existing Creek model compared to the Old Creek model. This improvement emphasized the positive impact of the creek extension project on the local aquatic ecosystem and the overall water quality. Consequently, the created models will serve as a valuable tool for long-term simulations from the past to the present and for future scenarios, which will help the local authorities in decision-making.