IMPACTS OF INDUSTRIAL WATER WITHDRAWS ON HYDRODYNAMICS AND SALINITY DISTRIBUTIONS IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA

In the authors’ previous research, an in-house hydrodynamic and salinity transport model for Calcaisieu Lake and Ship Channel watershed was developed and validated. The study area covers from Lake Charles as the north end to the Gulf as the south end. Several lakes and water systems are included in the target area. In this study, the model was used to investigate the impacts of industrial water withdraw on hydrodynamics and salinity distributions in the waters and wetlands in Calcasieu and Cameron Parish, Louisiana. Lake Charles, the north bound of the study area, is one of the largest petrochemical industry centers in the country. Numerous plants uses tremendous amount of fresh surface water in the area. Recent expansions of several companies increase the fresh water withdraws from the system significantly. One of the purposes of the study is to investigate the effects of increased water withdraw on the hydrodynamics and salinity in the system. The water withdraws could from two different locations, one through the north Calcasieu River inlet which is the north boundary of the simulation domain, and the other is from GIWW through the west boundary. Cases of different reduced flow rates at these two boundaries were tested, and the effects on hydrodynamics and salinity concentrations and distributions were analyzed. The optimal withdraw rates that have minimum impacts to the system were suggested from the results of the study. The results can be used as a guideline for industrial and city development in the areas.