Nitrogen Loads in Groundwater Entering Back Bays and Ocean from Fire Island National Seashore, Long Island, New York

Abstract

Printed on recycled paper • Simulations of groundwater discharge from the shallow aquifer indicate that nearly 80 percent of the total discharge enters the back-barrier estuaries; the rest discharges to the ocean or below the seabed as subsea outflow. • The travel time of groundwater through the shallow aquifer to discharge zones varies with distance from the recharge area. Particle-tracking analysis indicates that the mean travel time is 3.4 years, and virtually all groundwater is younger than 20 years.