Marine Resource Management

Hydrographic Module

Tides
Dave Whitcombe

Learning Outcomes
Why do we need to know about
Tides

Tidal Forces
How/Why are Tides Generated

Tide Measurement Methods

Tidal Levels and Datums
Tidal Prediction
Tidal Streams

Why do we bother about tides?

Bathymetry Data
Produce charts/
Produce Charts/Maps
Dredging of channels
Save Vessel Navigation
etc .

The price of getting it wrong ..

Why Do We Need to Observe

Tides?

When we measure depth it is from a moving

platform
A Vessel Mounted Echo Sounder
The vessel will move relative to the seabed
due to :Waves
Tidal Rise and Fall
We need to remove the effect of tide so as
to:Establish a fixed height reference
irrespective of:Time
Date
Geographical locations

Tide Generation
Due to Moon/Sun Gravitational Pull
Moon Period 24 hours 50 mins
Sun Period
24 hours Days
Actual Tides Result from the Resultant
Positions of Sun and Moon
Complete Tidal Cycle 29 days

N
N

Earth
S

Sun/Moon
S

Tidal Variation
Springs Neaps
Give Maximum Tidal Range
Highest HW/Lowest LW

Neaps
Give Minimum Tidal Range
Lowest HW/Highest LW

Equinox/Solstice
Sun/Moon on equal /opposite declination
Maximum Range/Minimum Range
21st March/September - 21st
June/December

Springs and Neaps Cycle

Springs
N

Moon

Earth

Sun

New Moon

Sun

Full Moon

S
N

Moon

Earth
S

Neaps
Sun

Last Quarter

Moon

Earth
S

Moon

1st Quarter

Real Tides(1)
External Influences - Distortions
Land/Coastline
Weather
Pressure - 10mb = 0.1m change in MSL
Wind - Piling up against shore
Storm Surges: Long Period/High Amplitude
Seiches: Short Period/Low Amplitude
Shallow Water
Currents

Real Tides(1)

A storm surge with exceptional waves

Resonance
Natural Period of Resonance
Combination of Tidal Cycle +
Resonance
Atlantic - 12 hours = Semi-Diurnal
Pacific - 24 hours = Diurnal
N/S of 65o Tides are Diurnal but
Gulf of Mexico = Diurnal
North Cape Norway = Semi-Diurnal
Semi-Diurnal
Diurnal

2HW + 2LW per day

1HW + 1LW per day

Tidal Periods
25 hours
HW

HW
Diurnal
Tide
LW

HW

HW

LW

HW

LW

LW

HW

SemiDiurnal
Tide

HW
Diurnal
Inequality
LLW

HLW

Tide Gauges
To measure Rise and Fall of Tide at a Fixed
Location
Tide Pole
Float Gauge
Bubbler Gauge
Microwave/Acoustic Gauge
For Offshore Tide Measurements
U/W Pressure Transducer

Tide Gauges UK National Network

The UK national network of sea level

gauges was established after violent
storms in the North Sea in 1953
resulted in serious flooding in the
Thames Estuary.

Aberdeen Tide Gauge

The tide gauge is located on the south east corner of Waterloo Quay, Aberdeen Docks

Tidal Levels and Datums

Tide Datum Related to Land Datum
In UK = Ordnance Datum Newlyn
Equivalent to MSL 1915-1921 - Has risen by
~0.15m
MSL- Mean Sea Level
Basic Reference level for all tidal
measurements
Obtained by:Mean of all Tide Readings over a long Period
e.g. 30 days to 18.6 years
MTL - Mean Tide Level
NOT = MSL
Mean of all HW and LW - not all tide readings

Tidal Levels
MHWS/MLWS
Mean High/Low Water Springs
Maximum Tidal Range Occurring at Spring
Tides
MHWN/MLWN
Mean High/Low Water Neaps
Minimum Tidal Range Occurring at Neap
Tides
MHHW/MLLW
Mean High High Water/Mean Low Low
Water

Tidal Datums
LAT - Lowest Astronomical Tide
Lowest Tide Level Predicted to Occur
Due only to Astronomical Conditions - Not
Weather
Sounding Datum
Height Level to Which Soundings are
Reduced in the Field I.e. during the survey
operations
Chart Datum
Height Level to Which Soundings are
Reduced on the Chart I.e. as defined by
Hydrographic Dept.

Reduction of Soundings

Zero Roll on Echo Sounder(

set to seal level
Transmission Mark (set at transducer depth
Height of
Tide

Chart Datum
Line

Raw
Sounding
Corrected Seabed Trace

Raw Seabed Trace

Reduced
Sounding

Tide Levels and Definitions

Charted Height
Bench Mark

Highest Astronomical Tide (HAT)

Ordnance
Datum
(Newlyn)

Chart Datum

Mean Spring
Range

Mean High Water Neaps (MHWN)

Mean Neap
Range

Heights

Actual Sounding

Mean High Water Springs MHWS)

Height of Tide

Datum for

Water Level
Mean Sea Level (MSL)
Drying
Height

Mean Low Water Neaps (MLWN)

Mean Low Water Springs MLWS)

Charted Depth

Chart Datum
Lowest Astronomical Tide (LAT)

Predicting Tides

Harmonic Method
Rigorous Mathematical Formula

Admiralty Method
At Primary Port - from published Admiralty
Tide Tables
At Secondary Ports - modifications - Simplified
Harmonic
Tidal Differences and Ratios - Co-Tides
Establish Datum for Soundings in Offshore
Areas
Use Co-Tidal Chart to Predict Tidal Information
at Sea
Co-Tidal Lines
MHWI
Equal Time of HW
Co-Range Lines MSR
Equal Tidal Range
Relative to Nearest Standard Port

Example of Tide Prediction at

Standard Port
HW Heights (m)

MEAN RANGES

6
0.9
0.8

Chart Datum

0.7
0.6

0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1

LW Heights (m)

Factor

0.5

Springs

3.7m

Neaps

1.8m

Predicting Co-Tides for Positions

at Sea

Tidal Prediction for Position 57 10 N 00 00 E

At Required Location :
From Chart 5058

MHWI(Locn) 1h 10m

MSR(Locn) 1.95

At Selected Port :
Aberdeen

MHWI(SP)

MSR(SP)

Time Difference :

+0h 14m

0h 56m

3.7m

MHWI(Locn) - MHWI(SP)
Range Ratio :

0.53

MSR(Locn) / MSR (SP)

To Obtain Tides at Location:Compute Tide Heights/Times for

Standard Port
Add Time Difference to Standard Port
Times
Multiply Standard Port Heights by

Tidal Streams/Currents
Currents are mainly due to Meteorological
Conditions
Mainly Wind
Tidal Streams result from:Astronomical Conditions
Horizontal Progression/Movement of
Water
Effects of Coastline - Channels/Seabed
Topography
Effect of Wind
Tidal Stream Published Information :Admiralty Charts
Tidal Stream Atlases

UK Tidal Stream Diagram

Tidal Stream Prediction

From Admiralty Tide Tables

Tide Stream Diamonds
Table of Velocities and Directions
Related to Time of HW at Local

Standard Port

Tidal Stream Prediction Example

Tides - More information

www.nbi.ac.uk/home/insight/tidefaq.html
www.nbi.ac.uk/home/insight/tideinfo.html
www.murorum.demon.co.uk/sailing