Surface Water-Groundwater Connections as Pathways for Inland Salinization of Coastal Aquifers.

Coastal agricultural zones are experiencing salinization due to accelerating rates of sea-level rise, causing reduction in crop yields and abandonment of farmland. Understanding mechanisms and drivers of this seawater intrusion (SWI) is key to mitigating its effects and predicting future vulnerability of groundwater resources to salinization. We implemented a monitoring network of pressure and specific conductivity (SC) sensors in wells and surface waters to target marsh-adjacent agricultural areas in greater Dover, Delaware. Recorded water levels and SC over a period of three years show that the mechanisms and timescales of SWI are controlled by local hydrology, geomorphology, and geology. Monitored wells did not indicate widespread salinization of deep groundwater in the surficial aquifer. However, monitored surface water bodies and shallow (<4 m deep) wells did show SC fluctuations due to tides and storm events, in one case leading to salinization of deeper (18 m deep) groundwater. Seasonal peaks in SC occurred during late summer months. Seasonal and interannual variation of SC was also influenced by relative sea level. The data collected in this study data highlight the mechanisms by which surface water-groundwater connections lead to salinization of aquifers inland, before SWI is detected in deeper groundwater nearer the coastline. Sharing of our data with stakeholders has led to the implementation of SWI mitigation efforts, illustrating the importance of strategic monitoring and stakeholder engagement to support coastal resilience.

A Search for Freshwater in the Saline Aquifer of Coastal Bangladesh.

In the polder region of coastal Bangladesh, shallow groundwater is primarily brackish with unpredictable occurrence of freshwater pockets. Delta building processes, including the codeposition of fresh-to-saline porewater and sediments, have formed the shallow aquifer. Impermeable clay facies and the lack of a topographical gradient limit the flow of groundwater and its mixing with surface water so controls on spatial variability of salinity are not obvious. By characterizing groundwater-surface water (GW-SW) interactions, this study attempted to identify areas of potable groundwater for the polder communities. We used transects of piezometers, cores, electromagnetic induction, and water chemistry surveys to explore two sources of potential fresh groundwater: (1) tidal channel-aquifer exchange and (2) meteoric recharge. Fresh groundwater proved difficult to find due to heterogeneous subsurface lithology, asymmetrical tidal dynamics, extreme seasonal fluctuations in rainfall, and limited field data. Geophysical observations suggest substantial lateral variability in shallow subsurface conductivity profiles. Piezometers show varying degrees of tidal pressure attenuation away from the channels. Nevertheless, the active exchange of freshwater appears to be limited due to low permeability of banks and surface sediments. Results indicate that pockets of fresh groundwater cannot be identified using readily available hydrogeological methods, so alternative drinking water sources should be pursued. By better understanding the hydrogeology of the system, however, communities will be better equipped to redirect water management resources to more feasible and sustainable drinking water options.