It is very important to interprete and simulate the variation of phytoplankton maximum region for the prediction and control of red tide. This study was composed of two parts, first, the hydrodynamic simulation such as residual current and salinity diffusion, and second, the ecological simulation such as phytoplankton distribution according to freshwater discharge and pollutant loads. Without the Nakdong river discharge, residual current was stagnated in inner side of this estuary, and surface distribution of salinity was over 25psu. On the contrary, with summer mean discharge, freshwater stretched very far outward and some waters flowed into Chinhae Bay through the Kadok channel, and low salinity extended over coastal sea and salinity front occurred. From the result of contributed physical process to phytoplankton biomass, the accumulation was occurred at the west part of this estuary and the Kadok channel with the Nakdong river discharge. When more increased input discharge, the accumulation band was transported to outer side of this estuary. The frequently outbreak of red tide in this area is caused by accumulation of physical processes. The phytoplankton maximum region located inner side of this estuary without the Nakdong river discharge and with mean discharge of winter, but it was moved to outer side when mean discharge of the Nakdong river was increased. The variation of input concentration from the land loads was not largely influenced on phytoplankton biomass and location of maximum region. When discharge was increased, phytoplankton maximum region was transferred to inner side of the Kadok channel. On the other hand, when discharge was decreased, phytoplankton maximum region was transferred to inner side of this estuary and chlorophyll a contents increased to over 20㎍/L. Therefore, if any other conditions are favorable for growth of phytoplankton, decrease of discharge causes to increase of possibility of red tide outbreak.

The estuary of Nakdong river is very influenced by the freshwater contained nutrients and organic materials. The response results of these influences are eutrophication and red tide outbreak in this region. Concentration of chlorophyll a was 0.78∼62.55㎍/L in February, 1.20∼21.29㎍/L in April, 1.88∼188.35㎍/L in June, and 0.78∼11.21㎍/L in August, respectively. The decrease of chlorophyll a is considered that residence time is shorten by increase of freshwater discharge, and unfavorable growth condition of phytoplankton is created by diffusion of low salinity and increase of turbidity. The phytoplankton maximum region located inner side of this estuary during winter season, whereas it was moved to outer side when mean discharge of the Nakdong river was increased. Therefore, the variation of phytoplankton maximum region was affected by input discharge from the Nakdong river basin.