Saltwater intrusion is the landward migration of saline water into freshwater aquifers, surface waters, or soils driven primarily by hydraulic gradients altered by groundwater pumping, sea-level rise, or reduced recharge. It is governed by variable-density flow and solute transport processes described by coupled groundwater flow and advection–dispersion equations, often producing a transition zone rather than a sharp interface between fresh and saline water. In coastal hydrogeology, saltwater intrusion degrades groundwater quality, alters geochemical equilibria, and constrains sustainable yield, requiring quantitative assessment through monitoring networks, hydrogeologic characterization, and numerical modeling to design mitigation strategies such as pumping optimization, recharge enhancement, or physical barriers.
Dalhousie researchers have revealed how Arctic aquifers—permeable layers of the ground that store and transmit water to rivers, lakes and terrestrial ecosystems—behave today and how these vital resources will change with ...
Earth Sciences
Feb 2, 2026
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Despite its tropical climate and floodplain location, Bangladesh—one of the world's most densely populated nations—seasonally does not have enough freshwater, especially in coastal areas. Shallow groundwater is often ...
Earth Sciences
Dec 22, 2025
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A solution to a tricky groundwater riddle from Australia: Researchers at TU Wien have developed numerical models to simulate the movement of fluids in porous materials.
Soft Matter
Nov 4, 2025
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Salt intrusion is a growing concern worldwide. Eleonora Saccon, who completed a master's degree in climate change ecology in her native Italy, studied the effects of salty surface water at the NIOZ branch in Zeeland.
Earth Sciences
Sep 25, 2025
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Once a haven for flamingos, sturgeon and thousands of seals, fast-receding waters are turning the northern coast of the Caspian Sea into barren stretches of dry sand. In some places, the sea has retreated more than 50km. ...
Environment
Sep 20, 2025
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A new paper published in Environmental Science & Technology Letters warns of an emerging global threat posed by salt contamination of water supplies in tidal rivers worldwide. The paper, co-authored by David Ralston, Department ...
Environment
Jul 30, 2025
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As sea levels climb and weather grows more extreme, coastal regions everywhere are facing a creeping threat: salt.
Earth Sciences
May 23, 2025
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302
In estuaries—the transitional zones between rivers and the sea—fresh and salt water are constantly battling for dominance. But due to climate change, the saltwater is gaining ground. New research by Utrecht University's ...
Earth Sciences
Apr 15, 2025
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Hydrology experts at Flinders University are calling for urgent investigations into the operation of bore-fields that access fresh groundwater on Pacific islands, including Kiribati, where rising sea levels are already putting ...
Earth Sciences
Mar 14, 2025
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