HGS RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT – A Comparison of Sea-level Rise and Storm-Surge Overwash Effects on Groundwater Salinity of a Barrier Island
Research Highlight, HGS, Coastal hydrology, Density-dependent flow, Saltwater intrusion Veljko Zaric Research Highlight, HGS, Coastal hydrology, Density-dependent flow, Saltwater intrusion Veljko Zaric

HGS RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT – A Comparison of Sea-level Rise and Storm-Surge Overwash Effects on Groundwater Salinity of a Barrier Island

In this research highlight, researchers explored the impacts of storm surge overwash and sea-level rise on groundwater salinization at Assateague Island, a low-lying barrier island on the U.S. mid-Atlantic coast. The study used HydroGeoSphere (HGS) to simulate the coupled surface and subsurface flow processes that influence the island’s aquifer system. By modelling future sea-level rise and storm-surge events, the researchers aimed to better understand the long-term effects of climate change on groundwater resources, particularly the vulnerability of freshwater lenses to salinization.

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HGS RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT – Heat Tracing in a Fractured Aquifer with Injection of Hot and Cold Water
Research Highlight, Case Studies, HGS, Hydrological processes, Transport, Density-dependent flow, Geothermal, Fracture flow Veljko Zaric Research Highlight, Case Studies, HGS, Hydrological processes, Transport, Density-dependent flow, Geothermal, Fracture flow Veljko Zaric

HGS RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT – Heat Tracing in a Fractured Aquifer with Injection of Hot and Cold Water

In this comprehensive study, researchers explore the application of heat as a tracer in fractured porous aquifers, offering new perspectives on groundwater flow and transport dynamics. The research paper investigates the use of hot (50 °C) and cold (10 °C) water injections in a weathered and fractured granite aquifer, where the natural background temperature is 30 °C. This study relies on a number of advanced HGS capabilities including density-dependent geothermal energy transport, fracture flow and time-varying material properties.

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HGS RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT – The coastal aquifer recovery subject to storm surge: Effects of connected heterogeneity, physical barrier and surge frequency
Research Highlight, HGS, Water resource management, Coastal hydrology, Flooding, Saltwater intrusion, Transport, Case Studies, Density-dependent flow Veljko Zaric Research Highlight, HGS, Water resource management, Coastal hydrology, Flooding, Saltwater intrusion, Transport, Case Studies, Density-dependent flow Veljko Zaric

HGS RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT – The coastal aquifer recovery subject to storm surge: Effects of connected heterogeneity, physical barrier and surge frequency

This research analyzes the combined effects of connected heterogeneity, physical barriers, and surge frequency on coastal aquifer recovery. Using HydroGeoSphere (HGS), Aquanty’s sophisticated modeling platform known for its ability to simulate coupled surface water-groundwater interactions, the team investigated a series of modeling cases in heterogeneous and equivalent homogeneous aquifers.

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HGS RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT – Saltwater Intrusion Into a Confined Island Aquifer Driven by Erosion, Changing Recharge, Sea-Level Rise, and Coastal Flooding
Research Highlight, Case Studies, HGS, Climate, Watershed hydrology, Coastal hydrology, Saltwater intrusion, Density-dependent flow Veljko Zaric Research Highlight, Case Studies, HGS, Climate, Watershed hydrology, Coastal hydrology, Saltwater intrusion, Density-dependent flow Veljko Zaric

HGS RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT – Saltwater Intrusion Into a Confined Island Aquifer Driven by Erosion, Changing Recharge, Sea-Level Rise, and Coastal Flooding

This research sheds light on the complex interactions between storm surges, reduced recharge, high erosion rates, and sea-level rise on the hydrological balance of Prince Edward Island. By leveraging the advanced capabilities of HGS, the researchers were able to test impact that climate change and future trends in coastal hydrology will have on the islands groundwater quality and the movement on the saltwater wedge underlying PEI.

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HGS RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT - Mega-Tidal and Surface Flooding Controls on Coastal Groundwater and Saltwater Intrusion Within Agricultural Dikelands
Research Highlight, Case Studies, HGS, GW-SW exchange, Transport, Saltwater intrusion, Density-dependent flow, Coastal hydrology, Climate, Agriculture Brayden McNeill Research Highlight, Case Studies, HGS, GW-SW exchange, Transport, Saltwater intrusion, Density-dependent flow, Coastal hydrology, Climate, Agriculture Brayden McNeill

HGS RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT - Mega-Tidal and Surface Flooding Controls on Coastal Groundwater and Saltwater Intrusion Within Agricultural Dikelands

The study highlighted here makes full use of the density dependent flow modelling capabilities of HydroGeoSphere to investigate the impacts of climate change on groundwater-ocean interactions, and how sea-level rise, tides and storm-surges impact the long-term position of an upper saline plume in a coastal agricultural dikeland in Nova Scotia, Canada.

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HydroGeoSphere Research Highlight - "Lateral and vertical saltwater intrusion into a coastal aquifer"
Events, Webinars, Saltwater intrusion, Research Highlight, Case Studies, Climate, Coastal hydrology, Density-dependent flow Brayden McNeill Events, Webinars, Saltwater intrusion, Research Highlight, Case Studies, Climate, Coastal hydrology, Density-dependent flow Brayden McNeill

HydroGeoSphere Research Highlight - "Lateral and vertical saltwater intrusion into a coastal aquifer"

Climate change is projected to substantially increase the global mean sea level, which will adversely impact coastal communities worldwide.

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HydroGeoSphere at the EGU23 General Assembly
HGS, Research Highlight, GW-SW exchange, Transport, Watershed hydrology, Water resource management, Coastal hydrology, Conference, Density-dependent flow, Hydraulic mixing cell Brayden McNeill HGS, Research Highlight, GW-SW exchange, Transport, Watershed hydrology, Water resource management, Coastal hydrology, Conference, Density-dependent flow, Hydraulic mixing cell Brayden McNeill

HydroGeoSphere at the EGU23 General Assembly

HydroGeoSphere is usually well represented at the annual European Geoscience Union’s General Assembly, but 2023 might be a new record with 10 presentations which relied on the integrated hydrologic modelling capabilities of HGS.

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HGS RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT – Dynamic Steady State in Coastal Aquifers Is Driven by Multi‐Scale Cyclical Processes, Controlled by Aquifer Storativity.
Case Studies, HGS, Research Highlight, Coastal hydrology, Saltwater intrusion, Transport, Density-dependent flow Brayden McNeill Case Studies, HGS, Research Highlight, Coastal hydrology, Saltwater intrusion, Transport, Density-dependent flow Brayden McNeill

HGS RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT – Dynamic Steady State in Coastal Aquifers Is Driven by Multi‐Scale Cyclical Processes, Controlled by Aquifer Storativity.

A new paper explores the effects that periodic/cyclical processes over different time scales exert on salinity distribution throughout coastal aquifers. In other words, how is aquifer salinity impacted by sea-level changes caused by tidal effects (sub-daily), storm-surges (decadal) and glaciation (millennial scale).

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Research Highlight, HGS, Coastal hydrology, Saltwater intrusion, Density-dependent flow, Transport Brayden McNeill Research Highlight, HGS, Coastal hydrology, Saltwater intrusion, Density-dependent flow, Transport Brayden McNeill

HGS Research Highlight - Topographic control on groundwater salinization due to ocean surge inundation

Ocean surges introduce saltwater to coastal aquifers and threaten fresh groundwater resources. Topography controls the spatial and temporal dynamics of surge inundation processes, which leads to variable depths of saltwater inundation and heterogeneous infiltration. Our study explored the impact of coastal landforms (e.g. ponds, dunes, barrier island, and channels) by simulating surface water flow over synthetic and real-world topographies, and associated subsurface flow to systematically assess the impact on surge-introduced salinization of coastal aquifers...

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