Articles | Volume 10, issue 10
https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-10-2189-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-10-2189-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
13 Oct 2025
Research article |
| 13 Oct 2025
| 13 Oct 2025
Scour variability across offshore wind farms (OWFs): identifying site-specific scour drivers as a step towards assessing potential impacts on the marine environment
Leibniz University Hannover, Ludwig Franzius Institute for Hydraulic, Estuarine and Coastal Engineering, Nienburger Str. 4, 30167 Hannover, Germany
Christian Jordan
Leibniz University Hannover, Ludwig Franzius Institute for Hydraulic, Estuarine and Coastal Engineering, Nienburger Str. 4, 30167 Hannover, Germany
Gregor Melling
Federal Waterways Engineering and Research Institute (BAW), Wedeler Landstraße 157, 22559 Hamburg, Germany
Alexander Schendel
Leibniz University Hannover, Ludwig Franzius Institute for Hydraulic, Estuarine and Coastal Engineering, Nienburger Str. 4, 30167 Hannover, Germany
Coastal Research Centre, Joint Research Facility of Leibniz Universität Hannover and Technische Universität Braunschweig, Merkurstraße 11, 30419 Hannover, Germany
Mario Welzel
Leibniz University Hannover, Ludwig Franzius Institute for Hydraulic, Estuarine and Coastal Engineering, Nienburger Str. 4, 30167 Hannover, Germany
Torsten Schlurmann
Leibniz University Hannover, Ludwig Franzius Institute for Hydraulic, Estuarine and Coastal Engineering, Nienburger Str. 4, 30167 Hannover, Germany
Coastal Research Centre, Joint Research Facility of Leibniz Universität Hannover and Technische Universität Braunschweig, Merkurstraße 11, 30419 Hannover, Germany
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Most coastal environments are sheltered by tidal flats and salt marshes. These habitats are threatened from drowning under sea level rise. Contrary to expectation, recent analyses in the Wadden Sea showed that tidal flats can accrete faster than sea level rise. We found that this phenomenon was facilitated by the nonlinear link between tidal characteristics and coastal bathymetry evolution. This link caused local and regional tidal adaptation with sharp increase–decrease edges at the coast.
Leon Scheiber, Mazen Hoballah Jalloul, Christian Jordan, Jan Visscher, Hong Quan Nguyen, and Torsten Schlurmann
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 2313–2332, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-23-2313-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-23-2313-2023, 2023
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Numerical models are increasingly important for assessing urban flooding, yet reliable input data are oftentimes hard to obtain. Taking Ho Chi Minh City as an example, this paper explores the usability and reliability of open-access data to produce preliminary risk maps that provide first insights into potential flooding hotspots. As a key novelty, a normalized flood severity index is presented which combines flood depth and duration to enhance the interpretation of hydro-numerical results.
Leon Scheiber, Christoph Gabriel David, Mazen Hoballah Jalloul, Jan Visscher, Hong Quan Nguyen, Roxana Leitold, Javier Revilla Diez, and Torsten Schlurmann
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 2333–2347, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-23-2333-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-23-2333-2023, 2023
Short summary
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Like many other megacities in low-elevation coastal zones, Ho Chi Minh City in southern Vietnam suffers from the convoluting impact of changing environmental stressors and rapid urbanization. This study assesses quantitative hydro-numerical results against the background of the low-regret paradigm for (1) a large-scale flood protection scheme as currently constructed and (2) the widespread implementation of small-scale rainwater detention as envisioned in the Chinese Sponge City Program.
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Short summary
Scour depths at nine British offshore wind farms (OWFs) were analysed. Site-specific scour drivers were identified, including the relative water depth, relative median grain size, Keulegan–Carpenter number, and sediment mobility. These findings improve our understanding of scour behaviour at different scales and lay the groundwork for enhancing scour prediction frameworks at future offshore wind farms, thereby supporting the expansion of sustainable energy.
Scour depths at nine British offshore wind farms (OWFs) were analysed. Site-specific scour...
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