A Circulation Model for the Broughton Archipelago

Mike Foreman
Institute of Ocean Sciences
Fisheries and Oceans Canada

The Broughton Archipelago is a complex network of islands, channels, and fiords lying off the mainland of British Columbia, approximately 300km northwest of Vancouver. In addition to river and glacial runoff that enters from the nearby mountainous terrain, circulation within the archipelago is also forced by winds and strong tidal and estuarine flows in both Johnstone and Queen Charlotte Straits, the primary conduits into the archipelago. The region is a primary location for salmon farms in British Columbia and has recently become the focus of confrontations between environmentalists, commercial fisherman, and agencies regulating the fish farm industry. Although circulation plays an important role in oxygen renewal and the transport of farm waste, sea lice, and viruses, there have been very few observations taken in the archipelago. In an effort to better to understand the circulation patterns, ROMS has been applied with a resolution of 250 meters. Preliminary results will be shown.