Preface: Saltwater and freshwater interactions in coastal aquifers

Excerpt

The study of coastal aquifers, i.e., aquifers that have a hydraulic connection with a saline surface-water body, forms a somewhat separate discipline in groundwater science. This type of aquifer is typically characterized by variations of groundwater salinity in space and time, which warrants special treatment of groundwater flow, groundwater chemistry and water resource management problems. The interest in the study of this type of aquifer arose both from its strategic importance for the water supply of highly populated coastal areas and its susceptibility to salinization problems. Saltwater intrusion, i.e., the displacement of fresh groundwater by groundwater with a higher salinity, has become an accepted scientific term in the research field. …