Figure 7 - uploaded by Alice Chang
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Fraser River plume in the Strait of Georgia. A. View from the International Space Station. Astronaut photograph ISS040-E-138806, taken September 6, 2014 (courtesy of NASA). B. A line in the water: the silty Fraser River plume (right) meets marine waters of the strait (left). View looking northwest from aboard the MV Spirit of British Columbia. (Photo: A. Chang, taken June 3, 2019.)
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... of the sediments are delivered during the spring freshet that begins in April when mountain snowpacks melt, continues with high flow from late May to July (up to 11,000 cubic meters per second, compared to 1,000 cubic meters per second during winter), and recedes in August and September (McLean et al., 1999;Thomson, 1981). The Fraser River plume is visible from space and on the water's surface when one travels across the strait (Figure 7). The sediments are eventually deposited on the floor of the strait while the freshwater slowly makes it way to the Pacific Ocean via southern channels. ...
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... remaining sources of freshwater and sediment into the Strait of Georgia come from smaller rivers, including the Squamish River that discharges through Howe Sound north of Vancouver ( Figure 7A), and from the Cowichan, Chemainus, Nanaimo and Courtenay rivers on Vancouver Island. Salinity within the Strait of Georgia therefore depends on the season and proximity to river sources. ...
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... the strait, the tidal stream (horizontal tidal currents) flows to the southeast during an ebb and to the northwest during a flood, with speeds reaching up to 50 centimeters per second. During an ebb, the Fraser River plume will flow to the southwest towards the Gulf Islands (as in Figure 7A), overriding the normal southeasterly current in the strait due to the momentum of the river discharge. During a flood, the Fraser River plume will take a sharp turn to the right, due to a combination of currents and the Coriolis effect from the earth's rotation (Thomson, 1981). ...
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... of the major routes is the Tsawwassen-Schwartz Bay crossing. For this article, one of us (AC) made oceanographic and geological observations aboard the MV Spirit of British Columbia in June 2019 ( Figures 7B and 8). This ferry began service in 1993, is 167 meters long and 32.9 meters wide, and can travel at a maximum speed of 19.5 knots (36 kilometers per hour). ...
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... a clear day, one can look across the strait toward the Gulf Islands ( Figure 8B). If you travel at the right time of year, the Fraser River plume is visible partway across the strait ( Figure 7B). At the eastern entrance to Active Pass, a narrow channel between Mayne and Galiano islands with two blind turns ( Figure 8A), the ferry slows to half-speed and blows its horn to warn oncoming watercraft that may be approaching around the first turn. ...