Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2010DE181B

Characterization of Submarine Groundwater Discharge Sites in a Coastal Lagoon

Institute: Delaware
Year Established: 2010 Start Date: 2010-06-01 End Date: 2011-02-28
Total Federal Funds: $1,500 Total Non-Federal Funds: $3,000

Principal Investigators: Alan Andres, Kevin Myers

Project Summary: Coastal estuarine ecosystems throughout the world are increasingly threatened by eutrophication caused by excess nutrients introduced by human land use and rapidly-growing coastal populations. Direct discharge of fresh and saline groundwater into coastal surface waters, termed submarine groundwater discharge (SGD), is an important pathway for transport of these nutrients, but the factors affecting chemical transformations of nutrient species in the subsurface prior to discharge are not well-known. Research in this project will support a larger, multi-disciplinary study already underway, funded by the National Science Foundation, to characterize and simulate physical and chemical conditions of submarine groundwater discharge sites in Indian River Bay. Project components include: installation of monitoring wells, pore water samplers, seepage meters, and test borings; sampling and measurements of sediments and waters; compilation and quality assurance of field and laboratory data; and, compiling a report of findings on selected physical characteristics infiltration facilities used for wastewater and stormwater disposal.