Report on the study of temperature effects in Clear Lake and Galveston Bay

The purpose of this project is to provide information on the temperature distribution and related effects in Clear Lake and in Galveston Bay which result from the discharge of cooling water from present and future power plant installations. This information will be useful as a guide in long-range planning for future unit installations by the Houston Lighting and Power Company. A brief discussion of the many factors involved in the heat balance of a tidal estuary is included. The complexity of these factors requires that some simplifying assumptions be made. This report discussed the temperature distribution in Clear Lake before the operation of the new 350 megawatt unit at Webster. Temperature profiles in Clear Lake are illustrated and discussed. The effects of the wind, tide, and other variables on these profiles are discussed. As expected it has become evident that a more detailed and extensive analysis of data will be required following delineation of several of the variables by the Parrish Station study. Correlation of lake temperature and heat measurements with factors such as tide, wind velocity, temperature, and relative humidity have not been illustrated by any of the simple correlation techniques tested.