Present Hydrodynamics of Ancão Inlet, 10 Years after its Relocation

Environmental triggers of faunal changes revealed by benthic foraminiferal monitoring

“…The inlets, their sedimentary dynamics, water transport and exchange with adjacent coastal sea have received much attention (Cravo and Jacob, 2019;Morris et al, 2001;Rosa et al, 2019;Vila-Concejo et al, 2004). Literature data suggested that the Ancão inlet lost hydraulic efficiency during the south-eastward migration in the 2000s and the tidal prism decreased (Jacob and Cravo, 2019;Vila-Concejo et al, 2003), while other studies considered the influence on its hydrodynamic behaviour and tidal prism as rather low (Pacheco et al, 2007). Our new data suggested that Ancão inlet relocation in 2015 indeed has effected the hydraulic parameters in distal parts of Ria Formosa lagoon.…”

“…The same relocation has been done in 1997 (Andrade et al, 2004;Dias et al, 2009), and, as the inlet is drifting with ca. 20 to 40 m yr -1 to the southeast (Pacheco et al, 2007), it will probably be necessary again in the near future.…”