The hindcast experiments are made starting at 13:00 GMT, August 22, 2003. The model is driven by realistic tidal forcing at the open boundary and freshwater discharge at the head of the river. To resolve the salt water intrusion process from the inner shelf, a 35 PPT at a distance off the open boundary and merge the salinity into the river through the salinity flux during the flood tidal period.

We are surprised to learn that FVCOM reasonably capture spatial and temporal variability of the salinity with no inclusion of data assimilation. The experiments are being conducted to test how long the model could continue to produce the reliable prediction after one time hydrographic data assimilation. The hindcast results listed at the web are based on experiments without data assimilation. The major elements include 1) winds and heat flux, 2) sea level, currents and salinity; and 3) DO, nutrients, and chl-a concentrations.The results will be updated when the data assimilation experiments are completed.

To help users or scientists to locate the physical and biological elements shown in this hindcast sections, a brief description of each element is given below.

Winds and Heat Fluxes	They are the model outputs directly from MM5 with a horizontal resolution of 3 km. This model output does not taken the drag effects on the marsh into account. A parameterization needs to add when applying this wind into FVCOM for the Satilla River
Sea level, Currents and Salinity	FVCOM model output without inclusion of the data assimilation and wind forcing. Wind forcing is being added in the model results for 2005. A note will be provided for the case with winds.
DO, Nutrients and Chl-a	Water quality (WQ) model outputs. Since the model is still being validated, no results are listed at this web at this moment.
Model-Data Comparison	Model-data comparisons for all the validation cruises. Several hydrographic surveys have been made in 2004, and used to check the reliability of the model prediction. Comparison here includes 1) salinity and ADCP currents.