Drinking water has become unreliable, and sometimes unsafe, along California’s coast. Population growth has put pressure on water supplies, but sea-level rise is an issue, too. In coastal aquifers, fresh groundwater essentially floats atop a layer of seawater. So as the ocean rises, the groundwater table rises too. This can damage infrastructure and ecosystems and impact human health.
This project, funded by California Sea Grant and the California State University Council on Ocean Affairs, Science and Technology (COAST), will explore the severity of impacts under different scenarios of sea-level rise. The team will focus on sites where the soil is contaminated or where hazardous wastes have been stored. Landfills and waste tanks that were once sited high enough to ensure toxins cannot seep into the groundwater may no longer be safe.
The team will explore the entire low-lying coast of California before selecting two coastal groundwater basins where potential impacts will be more closely examined. Both the broad and focused studies will specifically investigate how sea-level rise will impact disadvantaged communities. These areas will be ranked according to how severe the impact could be — and how soon the impact is expected — helping state and local officials prioritize resources as they prepare for rising seas.