Discharge from NCC’s snow melting barge at the Akerhuskaia reduced temperatures in Oslofjord

Abstract

The objective of this work was to describe how discharged cold water from a snow melting barge at Oslo harbour reduces the temperatures in the fjord. It was of special interest to study how the discharged water might influence the temperature of the water intake. The results are obtained using the numerical model GEMSS. If the intake is localized 100 meter outwards the barge and deeper than 10 meter, the discharge does not practically influence the temperature in the intake water. The reduced temperatures in the intake water are less than natural changes during a day. Reduced vertical salinity difference from 5 ppt to 0.5 ppt between surface and 20 m does not change this conclusion. The discharge water is mainly spread beneath the surface and therefor in a minor degree leads to increased ice cover formation.