Water and sediment temperature dynamics in shallow tidal environments: the role of the heat flux at the sediment-water interface

In the present study, we investigate the energy flux at the sediment-water interface and the relevance of the heat exchanged between water and sediment for the water temperature dynamics in shallow coastal environments. Water and sediment temperature data collected in the Venice lagoon show that, in shallow, temperate lagoons, temperature is uniform within the water column, and enabled us to estimate the net heat flux at the sediment-water interface. We modeled this flux as the sum of a conductive component and of the solar radiation reaching the bottom, finding the latter being negligible. We developed a “point” model to describe the temperature dynamics of the sediment-water continuum driven by vertical energy transfer. We applied the model considering conditions characterized by negligible advection, obtaining satisfactory results. We found that the heat exchange between water and sediment is crucial for describing sediment temperature but plays a minor role on the water temperature.