Saltwater intrusion occurs when saltwater mixes with freshwater and contaminates well water. It is common in coastal areas. This happens when too many wells are drilled an the water pressure is lowered allowing the saltwater to move into the aquifer.
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As sea levels rise along the coasts, saltwater can move onto the land. Known as saltwater intrusion, this occurs when storm surges or high tides overtop areas low in elevation. It also occurs when saltwater infiltrates freshwater aquifers and raises the groundwater table below the soil surface.
Saltwater intrusion occurs when saltwater mixes with freshwater and contaminates well water. It is common in coastal areas. This happens when too many wells are drilled an the water pressure is lowered allowing the saltwater to move into the aquifer.
coastal aquifersSaltwater intrusion can naturally occur in coastal aquifers, owing to the hydraulic connection between groundwater and seawater. Because saline water has a higher mineral content than freshwater, it is denser and has a higher water pressure. As a result, saltwater can push inland beneath the freshwater.
Seawater intrusion is caused by decreases in groundwater levels or by rises in seawater levels. When you pump out fresh water rapidly, you lower the height of the freshwater in the aquifer forming a cone of depression. The salt water rises 40 feet for every 1 foot of freshwater depression and forms a cone of ascension.
Saltwater intrusion occurs by many ways, including lateral encroachment from coastal waters and vertical movement of saltwater near discharging wells. The intrusion of saltwater caused by withdrawals of freshwater from the groundwater system can make the resource unsuitable for use.
Saltwater intrusion occurs when saline (salty) water is drawn into a freshwater aquifer. Saltwater intrusion can affect one well, or multiple wells in an aquifer, making the water unpotable (unpleasant to drink). People with hypertension should not drink groundwater with a high salt content.
When groundwater is pumped from a coastal aquifer the fresh-water level is lowered and the sea intrudes further into the aquifer. With excessive pumping the natural hydraulic gradient towards the sea may be reversed and the intrusion can then extend to the pumping borehole which becomes saline.
Water intrusion is defined as the uncontrolled movement of water, water vapor or moisture to areas of a building that is unwanted or undesirable. Water intrusion in buildings, manufacturing plants, construction sites or hotel or residential complexes can come from numerous sources.
Climate change is expected to further exacerbate saltwater intrusion due to sealevel rise coupled with higher temperatures, which would cause higher water demand, and reduced precipitation, which would reduce the surface water available for aquifer recharge (IPCC, 2007. (2007).
Saltwater intrusion leads to the loss of freshwater vegetation and the spread of saline mudflats into previously vegetated areas. This can lead to the destruction of crocodile breeding grounds and magpie geese habitat and can impact on the ability of the local Aboriginal people to hunt and gather food.
Saltwater intrusion can result in the need for water utilities to increase treatment, relocate water intakes, or development of alternate sources of fresh water. Saltwater intrusion, through surface or ground water sources, may diminish the availability or quality of source waters for drinking water utilities.
Some 19 areas within the Philippines are facing contamination due to saltwater intrusion, as many continue to extract water from the nation's aquifers, according to the Philippine Sanitation Alliance (PSA) Elisea Gozun, former Environment Secretary and current president of PSA and member of Earth Day Network ...