What is the impact of seawater intrusion into the coastal aquifer?

What is the impact of seawater intrusion into the coastal aquifer?

Groundwater pumping can reduce freshwater flow toward coastal areas and cause saltwater to be drawn toward the freshwater zones of the aquifer. Saltwater intrusion decreases freshwater storage in the aquifers, and, in extreme cases, can result in the abandonment of wells.

What happens in aquifers in coastal areas?

Coastal Aquifers Active. Coastal aquifers are groundwater systems that cross land-ocean boundaries. For example, saltwater intrusion exacerbated by groundwater extraction and rising sea levels will degrade the quality and quantity of freshwater available in coastal aquifers.

What occurs in coastal areas when an aquifer is Overpumped?

Since groundwater that is very deep or below the oceans is saline, overpumping can cause the saltwater to move inland or upwards, resulting in saltwater intrusion, which can contaminate fresh drinking water. And when aquifers are overpumped, they can collapse, forever reducing their capacity to store water.

What is coastal aquifer?

Coastal aquifers are a nexus of the world’s oceanic and hydrologic ecosystems and provide a water source for the more than one billion people living in coastal regions. Saltwater intrusion caused by excessive groundwater extraction is already impacting diverse regions of the globe.

How do coastal processes result in saltwater intrusion?

Sea level rise would cause salt water to intrude in surface and groundwater near the coast. Saltwater intrusion would require desalination of drinking water, or moving the water inlet upstream. Sea level rise would erode coastal wetlands, particularly if hard structures protect human occupations.

What is more likely to occur in aquifers in coastal areas than in aquifers in other regions?

Saltwater intrusion can occur in aquifers near coastlines, when fresh groundwater in the aquifer is displaced by salt water. Coastline aquifers become more vulnerable to saltwater intrusion when freshwater recharge rates are low or withdrawal rates are high.

When too much groundwater is taken from an area saltwater intrusion can result and lead to groundwater contamination?

Saltwater intrusion is the movement of saline water into freshwater aquifers, which can lead to contamination of drinking water sources and other consequences. Saltwater intrusion occurs naturally to some degree in most coastal aquifers, owing to the hydraulic connection between groundwater and seawater.

How does coastal processes result in coastal erosion submersion and saltwater intrusion?

Coastal processes are unavoidable occurrences driven by nature and amplified by human action. They cause damage to the shorelines through coastal erosion, submersion, and saltwater intrusion. Breakwaters are offshore structures that protect coasts from parallel waves and in turn, prevent erosion and submersion.

What are the effects of use and overutilization of surface and groundwater?

Over-exploitation of ground water lowers water tables, which may damage wetlands, cause ground subsidence, and induce salt-water intrusion in coastal aquifers. Rivers and streams have long been used for discharging the waters.

What is it called when aquifers in coastal areas start to fill with ocean water?

Saltwater intrusion occurs because of aquifer depletion. The empty space can then be filled with sea water.

Does sea level rise have an impact on saltwater intrusion?

Currently, it is expected that the rising sea level will enhance saltwater intrusion and potentially contaminate many freshwater reserves.