Zhang, H.-S.; Zhou, E.-X.; Dai, S., and Zhang, Y., 2016. Comparison of the calculated and measured wave heights in inland lakes.

Knowledge of the wave climate of inland lakes is important for a wide range of issues, including the appropriate design of dikes and pollution monitoring. The measured wind and wind wave data for two inland lakes in southeast China (Lake Taihu and Lake Dianshan) were collected along with predicted wind data for Lake Taihu. The wave heights in the two lakes were calculated using a wave model, Simulating WAves Nearshore (SWAN), and an empirical formula. Then, the calculated results were compared to measured data. The SWAN model cannot effectively simulate wave fields near lateral boundaries; therefore, detailed studies were carried out on how to set appropriate boundaries for calculation domains. Lake Taihu is a large water body with wind fields that vary at different locations; hence, it is an ideal location for detailed studies of the effects of measured wind fields on wave fields. It was shown that when wave fields of a large lake are simulated with the SWAN model, measurement stations should be arranged carefully, and proper wind field input is crucial. The accuracy of results calculated with the empirical formula was similar to that of the results calculated with the SWAN model, provided that appropriate care was taken during the input of measured wind fields. In contrast, the accuracy of SWAN model results was greater than that of empirical formula results if forecasted wind fields were used as inputs. Overall, the wind wave fields in the two inland lakes of different sizes were effectively simulated in this study.