Determining water patterns in Chakmak Canal and Pradoo Bay, Rayong province, Thailand

Two-dimensional hydrodynamic models were developed using CCHE2D software package to predict water depth and velocity in Chakmak Canal and Pradoo Bay located in the eastern part of Thailand. The prediction showed good agreement with the observation after calibrating the models against the field observed data for each study site in each season. Running through Map Ta Phut industrial estate and acting as a drainage channel for water discharged from the estate before emptying into Pradoo Bay, Chakmak Canal has been conjectured as a transport route of sediment depositing in the bay. However, results from this study indicated that low flow rate of water (0.7 - 0.9 m³/s and 1.5 - 2.3 m³/s at the upstream and downstream portions, respectively) in the canal might have low influence on the sediment transport and deposit in Pradoo bay. The structure of the Map Ta Phut industrial estate's port that expanded into the bay and obstructed the natural water circulation along the coastal zone was most likely to cause the low water velocity (≤0.1 m/s in the dry season and 0.02 - 0.09 m/s in the wet season) and the increased sedimentation in the bay.