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A Regional Assessment of the Ground-Water Resources Program
|Saltwater Intrusion| | |Ground-Water Flow and Discharge to Coastal Environments| | |Products of the Assessment| | |Links to Related Resources| |
About the Regional Assessment |
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Freshwater aquifers along the Atlantic coast of the United States are bounded at their seaward margins by saltwater. Ground-water withdrawals from these aquifers can cause lateral and vertical intrusion of surrounding saltwater, and incidences of saltwater intrusion have been documented throughout the eastern seaboard (figure 1). Withdrawals also can change the patterns of ground-water flow and discharge to coastal ecosystems, which may alter the nutrient budgets and salinity of coastal waterways and wetlands. Projected future growth in population along the coastal areas of the United States will likely increase stresses on coastal aquifers and ecosystems in the next century. As part of the Ground-Water Resources Program, the USGS is conducting an assessment of freshwater-saltwater interactions and issues along the Atlantic coast, focusing on saltwater intrusion into freshwater aquifers and ground-water discharge into coastal ecosystems. |
For more Information, Contact |
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Paul Barlow, Coordinator Atlantic Coastal Zone Assessment U.S. Geological Survey 10 Bearfoot Road Northborough, MA 01532 (508) 490-5070 |
pbarlow@usgs.gov |
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Maintainer: Office of Ground Water Last update: 15:46:48 Fri 19 Dec 2003 Privacy Statement || Disclaimer || Accessibility URL: http://water.usgs.gov/ogw/gwrp/saltwater/ |