Coastal Engineering and Water Quality Study
Bahia de los Sueños, Baja California, Mexico
NCI evaluated the feasibility of six waterfront development alternatives for a real estate development at the Bahia de los Sueños, Baja California, Mexico. The six alternatives consisted of an open deep water lagoon, open shallow water lagoon, closed salt water lagoon, open mooring facility, docking facilities at “El Manglito”, and RO seawater desalination plant discharge. The coastal analysis and water quality study performed included: oceanographic measurements and a bathymetric and beach survey; tidal harmonics analysis and tidal predictions; wind wave hindcasting; wave transformation using Mike 21-PMS; hurricane wave generation and transformation using Mike 21-SW; littoral processes, shoreline impact and beach erosion analysis; lagoon water circulation modeling using RMA2; lagoon water quality modeling using RMA4; evaluation of lagoon water quality based on water exchange time and residence time; tidal inlet hydrodynamic analysis to optimize the inlet design; modeling salinity distribution adjacent to the desalination discharge using RMA4 to optimize outfall placement and desalination plant design; analysis of open mooring facilities and docking facilities; and conceptual design of entrance channel jetties to the lagoon.