Driving mechanisms for groundwater flow and salt transport in a subterranean estuary

Abstract

This paper presents field measurements and numerical simulations of groundwater dynamics in the intertidal zone of a sandy meso-tidal beach. The study, focusing on vertical hydraulic gradients and pore water salinities, reveals that tides and waves provide important forcing mechanisms for flow and salt transport in the nearshore aquifer. Such forcing, interacting with the beach morphology, enhances the exchange between the aquifer and ocean. The spatial and temporal variations of vertical hydraulic gradients demonstrate the complexity and dynamic nature of the processes and the extent of mixing between fresh groundwater and seawater in a "subterranean estuary". These results provide evidence of a potentially important reaction zone in the nearshore aquifer driven by oceanic oscillations. Land-derived contaminants may undergo important biogeochemical transformations in this zone prior to discharge. Copyright 2006 by the American Geophysical Union.