Salinity distribution in Khawr Al-Zubair, South of Iraq

Abstract

Observations on salinity, freshwater input and tidal ranges in Khawr Al-Zubair (north west of the Arabian Gulf) have shown that freshwater input control the transition of Khawr Al-Zubair from a lagoonal environment to an estuarine environment. Downstream of Umm Qasr, the water column was nearly homogeneous; horizontal salinity gradients and stratification were well developed at high freshwater discharge upstream of Umm Qasr. A good correlation between salinity and salinity gradient with freshwater discharge was noticed