Thread: How do I model or calculate the effects of point source temperature discharge on a body of water?

I have 100 degree water flowing in at 2000 gpm into a large bay. I just want to calculate the vertical temperature impact as well as the impacts as you get farther into the lake from the source. Is there a computer program or simple calculation I can do?

The only simple way to treat the problem is to use a macroscopic mass and energy balance such as a mixing problem.
What will really happen, isn't simple. you will have to take into account the terrain of the bay floor, the current distribution, the seasonal change, the wind currents, bay traffic affects mixing, conduction on a three dimensional scale, and of course marine life.
It would likely be a custom program.