Geophysical Research Letters, 22 November 2024
Saltwater intrusion into fresh groundwater aquifers is increasingly damaging freshwater agriculture and ecosystems, and corroding underground urban infrastructure along coastal zones. State-of-the art projections of future sea-level rise and changes to groundwater recharge reveal that seawater will infiltrate underground freshwater supplies in about three of every four coastal areas around the world by the year 2100. The level of emissions reductions, or lack thereof will determine the degree of damage to coastal freshwater systems. The distance that saltwater intrudes inland will be driven largely by climate-dependent changes to subsurface water replenishment, whereas the amount of sea‑level rise will drive the degree of salinization around global coasts.
Full paper: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2024GL110359
NASA JPL coverage: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-dod-study-saltwater-to-widely-taint-coastal-groundwater-by-2100/
By Emily Jacobson, Science Writing Intern; Amy Imdieke, Global Outreach Director; and Pam Pearson, Director of ICCI.
Published Jan. 7, 2025 Updated Jan. 7, 2025 10:12 pm
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