03/01/2022
By Lynne Schaufenbil
Saltwater intrusion into aquifers along estuaries and open coasts: The role of sea level rise, tidal flooding, and estuarine circulation
Abstract:
Coastal aquifers are an important source of freshwater for populations across the globe and are a key factor affecting chemical fluxes between land and sea. Owing to their proximity to the ocean, coastal aquifers are vulnerable to salinization due to sea level rise and tidal flooding. Aquifer salinization reduces freshwater resources and modifies the transport of land-derived chemicals to coastal ocean ecosystems. This presentation will explore saltwater intrusion in shallow coastal aquifers and in aquifers underlying large estuaries. Sea level rise projections, long-term tidal predictions, and surface water hydrodynamic models are used to drive groundwater flow and salt transport models to understand the effects of tidal flooding and estuarine circulation on aquifer saltwater intrusion, with a focus on the Merrimack River estuary and Boston, MA. Results demonstrate a marked shift in groundwater salinities beneath open coasts due to migrating intertidal zones, and provide first insights into salinization processes in estuarine aquifers that are a primary source of freshwater resources.
Bio:
James Heiss is an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences at UMass Lowell. His research interests include coastal groundwater-surface water interactions, climate change and sea level rise impacts to coastal groundwater resources, and chemical fluxes along the land-sea transition zone. His current research focuses on the hydrologic forcings (waves, tides, currents, extreme precipitation, and storm surge) that move water and chemicals between aquifers and nearshore surface water bodies. He explores these hydrologic processes using field experiments, numerical models, and quantitative synthesis of large datasets. Prior to joining UMass Lowell, James was a postdoctoral fellow with the National Academy of Sciences. He holds a PhD in Geology from the University of Delaware.
Contact Lynne_Schaufenbil@uml.edu for the Zoom link.