Basis of Design Book 2 - City of St. Petersburg

Available current data for the NOAA ADCP stations at Old Port Tampa and the Sunshine
Skyway Bridge are surface current velocities, which are generally higher velocities than the
depth averaged measurement taken at the same time and location. Model data is depth
averaged for currents in the analysis.
For Tampa Bay, complete ADCP current data for the entire water column were available on a
limited basis in the vicinity of Weedon Island, from a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) research
project that covered parts of 2006 and 2007. Analysis of that data showed an approximate
relationship of surface current velocities to depth averaged current velocities of 1.3 to 1. If this
ratio were applied to the measured data shown in Figures 5-1 and 5-2, this would put the model
to data agreement closer. Figures 5-2 and 5-3 show the current data comparison without this
adjustment to be consistent in presenting the actual measured data. Based upon these results,
the overall currents at the two stations are reasonably simulated.
In addition to the quantitative comparisons to the two available current stations, it is important to
examine the local currents and provide some qualitative assessment against the conditions
discussed in Section 2.3. Figure 5-4 presents typical current magnitudes simulated by the
model in the area of the proposed docking facility.
Figure 5-4.
Modeled Current Magnitude In the Vicinity of the Proposed Marina
GNV/2012/122381A/8/8/2012
5-3