The impacts of climate change on coastal groundwater

Richardson, C. M.; Davis, K. L.; Ruiz-González, C.; Guimond, J. A.; Michael, H. A.; Paldor, A.; Moosdorf, N.; Paytan, A.

doi:10.1038/s43017-023-00500-2

Cited by 10 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 283 publications

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“…Flushing and aquifer recovery are driven by fresh recharge in areas protected by dune topography. Thus, the recovery of barrier island aquifers to extreme events in the future may also be accelerated or prolonged depending on how local recharge regimes increase (wetter climate) or decrease (drier climate) as the climate changes (Richardson et al, 2024). Achieving long-term coastal resilience in an era of rapid global change requires innovative land and water management strategies based on a thorough understanding of the interrelated drivers and impacts of coastal flooding, erosion, and aquifer salinization (McDonald et al, 2019).…”

Section: Implications For Understanding and Monitoring Coastal Proces...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Interrelated Coastal Flooding, Erosion, and Groundwater Salinization on a Barrier Island During Hurricane Fiona

Cantelon,

LeRoux,

Mulligan

et al. 2024

JGR Earth Surface

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Coastal flooding transforms barrier island morphology and rapidly salinizes freshwater lenses that support island populations and ecosystems. Climate change is expected to increase coastal flood risks, and understanding future island vulnerability requires understanding erosion and salinization processes and their feedbacks. This study investigates how island morphology and groundwater salinity distributions on Hog Island, Prince Edward Island, Canada, responded to high water levels during post‐tropical storm Fiona (24 September 2022), the costliest hurricane to make landfall in Canadian history. Island morphology was monitored with drone‐based LiDAR, and beach groundwater dynamics were investigated with frequency‐domain electromagnetic geophysics surveys and monitoring wells. Comparing pre‐storm and post‐disturbance data revealed high dune scarping that thinned the ocean‐side foredune by 12.3 m on average and reduced the total island volume by 12%. Beach groundwater levels and electrical conductivity increased by up to 2 m and 19 mS cm−1, respectively, and the freshwater lens was lost under the eroded foredune. Measurements 9 months after the storm revealed early‐stage recovery of the foredune; however, high dune scarping prolonged recovery, and the island volume only increased by 1%. Without a stable ocean‐side foredune, the landward extent of recurring coastal flooding increased and limited freshwater flushing and aquifer recovery. Results indicate that rapid erosion from extreme coastal storms shifts coastal boundaries, salinizes formerly freshwater resources, and limits freshwater recovery. These findings emphasize the importance of understanding the often‐overlooked interconnections between coastal flooding, erosion, and groundwater salinization to effectively manage coastal resources in an age of environmental change.

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Section: Implications For Understanding and Monitoring Coastal Proces...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Interrelated Coastal Flooding, Erosion, and Groundwater Salinization on a Barrier Island During Hurricane Fiona

Cantelon,

LeRoux,

Mulligan

et al. 2024

JGR Earth Surface

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Physical and chemical characterization of remote coastal aquifers and submarine groundwater discharge from a glacierized watershed

Russo,

Jenckes,

Boutt

et al. 2024

Hydrological Processes

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Coastal aquifers play an important role in marine ecosystems by providing high fluxes of nutrients and solutes via submarine groundwater discharge pathways. The physical and chemical characterization of these dynamic systems is foundational to understanding the extent and magnitude of hydrogeologic processes and their subsequent contributions to the marine environment. We describe a km‐scale experimental field site located in a glaciofluvial delta entering Kachemak Bay, Alaska. Our characterization applies geophysical (ERT and HVSR), hydrogeologic (grain size analyses, slug tests and tidal response analyses) and geochemical (major ions and stable water isotopes) methods to describe the complexity of coastal aquifers in proglacial environments currently experiencing rapid transformations. The hydrogeologic and geophysical techniques revealed thick (20–84 m) sediments dominated by sands and gravels and delineated zones of freshwater, brackish water and saltwater at both high and low tides within the subterranean estuary. Estimates of hydraulic conductivities via multiple approaches ranged from 2 to 250 m d−1, with means across the four methods within the same order of magnitude. Tidal response analyses highlighted a coastal aquifer in strong connection with the sea as evidenced by clear spring‐ and neap‐tidal signals within a proximal piezometric hydrograph. Geochemical sampling revealed coastal groundwaters as substantially enriched in solutes compared to proximal river samples with limited variability across seasons. A clear connection between the Wosnesenski River and the adjacent aquifer was also observed, with concentrated recharge from the river corridor during the meltwater season. This combination of approaches provides the basis for a conceptual model for coastal aquifer systems within the Gulf of Alaska and an upscaled mean daily yield of freshwater and solutes from the delta subsurface. Our findings are critical for subsequent numerical simulations of groundwater flow, tidal pumping and chemical reactions and transport in these understudied environments. This approach may be applied for low‐cost, large‐scale hydrogeologic investigations in coastal areas and may be particularly useful for remote sites where access and mobility are challenging.

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Metals in coastal groundwater systems under anthropogenic pressure: a synthesis of behavior, drivers, and emerging threats

McKenzie,

Moody,

Barreira

et al. 2024

Limnol Oceanogr Letters

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Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) dynamically links land‐ and ocean‐derived chemical constituents, such as metals, in the coastal ocean. While many metals are sediment‐bound, changing environmental conditions, particularly along the coast, may lead to increased release of metals to their dissolved and more bioavailable form. Here, we review metal behavior, speciation, and drivers of mobilization in the coastal environment under anthropogenic influence. We also model global metal contamination risk to the coastal ocean via SGD considering anthropogenic and hydrogeologic pressures, where tropical regions with high population density, SGD, and acid sulfate soils (4% of the global coast) present the highest risk. Although most SGD studies focus on other analytes, such as nutrients, this review demonstrates the importance of considering SGD as a critical pathway for metals to reach the coastal ocean under rapidly changing environmental conditions.

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The impacts of climate change on coastal groundwater

Cited by 10 publications

References 283 publications

Interrelated Coastal Flooding, Erosion, and Groundwater Salinization on a Barrier Island During Hurricane Fiona

Interrelated Coastal Flooding, Erosion, and Groundwater Salinization on a Barrier Island During Hurricane Fiona

Physical and chemical characterization of remote coastal aquifers and submarine groundwater discharge from a glacierized watershed

Metals in coastal groundwater systems under anthropogenic pressure: a synthesis of behavior, drivers, and emerging threats

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