Marsdiep tidal inlet (between the Waddenzee and the North Sea)

Salinity of the water column; Temperature of the water column

Continuous water samplers

The Marsdiep is the inlet which connects the western Wadden Sea with the North Sea. It separates the Island of Texel from the mainland. On the southern shore of the Marsdiep the town of Den Helder is situated, with the main Dutch naval base. The Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) is presently situated at 'T Horntje on Texel on the northern shore of the Marsdiep, opposite Den Helder. From July 1860 until 1962 daily water samples were taken at the Den Helder side of the Marsdiep, and temperature and salinity of the samples were determined. Before 1904 the samples were taken at high-and low water during the day, from 1904 onwards at 08:00 hours local time. In 1947 the State Institute for Fisheries Research (RIVO) started daily observations of salinity and temperature in 'T Horntje, on the opposite side of the Marsdiep, which from 1982 onwards were taken over by NIOZ. So there is an overlap of 16 years of both time series. From the daily observations of both time series monthly mean values for salinity and temperature were determined. From the 16 years overlap of both series the monthly mean systematic differences between 'T Hornje and Den Helder was determined. This systematic difference was used to extend the Den Helder series to present, based on the observations from 'T Horntje.

P.C.T. van der Hoeven (1982) Watertemperatuur en zoutgehaltewaarnemingen van het Rijksinstituut voor Visserij Onderzoek (RIVO): 1860-1981, Wetenschappelijk Rapport W.R. 82-8, Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI)

Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research
Landsdiep 4 P.O. Box 59
Den Burg/Texel

1790 AB
Netherlands