Over, under, and through: Hydrologic connectivity and the future of coastal landscape salinization

Ashley Helton; James Dennedy-Frank; Ryan Emanuel; Scott C Neubauer; Kyra Adams; Marcelo Ardon; Lawrence Band; Kevin A. Befus; Hanne Borstlap; Jamie Duberstein; Adam Gold; Kominoski John; Alex Manda; Holly A. Michael; Stephen Moysey; Allison Myers-Pigg; Justine Annaliese Neville; Gregory Noe; Jeeban Panthi; Elnaz Pezeshki; Matthew Sirianni; Ward.Nicolas

doi:10.1029/2024WR038720

Over, under, and through: Hydrologic connectivity and the future of coastal landscape salinization

Water Resources Research

By: Ashley Helton, James Dennedy-Frank, Ryan Emanuel, Scott C Neubauer, Kyra Adams, Marcelo Ardon, Lawrence Band, Kevin A. Befus, Hanne Borstlap, Jamie Duberstein, Adam Gold, Kominoski John, Alex Manda, Holly A. Michael, Stephen Moysey, Allison Myers-Pigg, Justine Annaliese Neville, Gregory Noe, Jeeban Panthi, Elnaz Pezeshki, Matthew Sirianni, and Ward.Nicolas

https://doi.org/10.1029/2024WR038720

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Abstract

Seawater intrusion (SWI) affects coastal landscapes worldwide. Here we describe the hydrologic pathways through which SWI occurs - over land via storm surge or tidal flooding, under land via groundwater transport, and through watersheds via natural and artificial surface water channels—and how human modifications to those pathways alter patterns of SWI. We present an approach to advance understanding of spatiotemporal patterns of salinization that integrates these hydrologic pathways, their interactions, and how humans modify them. We use examples across the East Coast of the United States that exemplify mechanisms of salinization that have been reported around the planet to illustrate how hydrologic connectivity and human modifications alter patterns of SWI. Finally, we suggest a path for advancing SWI science that includes (a) deploying standardized and well-distributed sensor networks at local to global scales that intentionally track SWI fronts, (b) employing remote sensing and geospatial imaging techniques targeted at integrating above and belowground patterns of SWI, and (c) continuing to develop data analysis and model-data fusion techniques to measure the extent, understand the effects, and predict the future of coastal salinization.

Additional publication details
Publication type	Article
Publication Subtype	Journal Article
Title	Over, under, and through: Hydrologic connectivity and the future of coastal landscape salinization
Series title	Water Resources Research
DOI	10.1029/2024WR038720
Volume	61
Issue	7
Publication Date	June 27, 2025
Year Published	2025
Language	English
Publisher	American Geophysical Union
Contributing office(s)	Florence Bascom Geoscience Center, Eastern Ecological Science Center
Description	e2024WR038720, 8 p.