Processes Driving Submarine Groundwater Discharge and Nutrient Fluxes in a Semi-arid Coastal Area: Coastal South Texas

Abstract:

Assessments of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD), an important pathway for material transport to coastal embayments, are difficult, as there is no simple means to estimate the water flux. Because of processes like tidal pumping, non-homogeneous bottom sediment compositions, high hydrologic and hydrogeologic “heterogeneity”, and the likelihood of multiple sources (i.e. different aquifers or recirculated seawater) within a study region, there could be significant variation in the magnitude of discharge. Furthermore, in highly saline semi-arid environments such as south Texas, density-driven flow will also influence the discharge rates and location of seepage faces. Thus, discharge throughout a bay is undoubtedly variable temporally and spatially so it is not reasonable to extrapolate a single flow rate to the entire surface area. Multiple approaches are necessary especially where the terrestrial groundwater is not fresh like in coastal area of south Texas. To meet this challenge, we have explored the use of high-resolution continuous subsurface imaging techniques, continuous radon monitoring, and other geochemical tracers to more precisely measure SGD and nutrient fluxes to coastal zone waters over time periods of hours and under different climatic conditions. This approach allowed us to differentiate between fresh groundwater and recirculated seawater, delineate seepage faces as dependent on / independent of sediment heterogeneity and convective flow caused by density differences. We were able to also correct SGD rates derived from continuous radon monitoring that can be significantly variable on account of observation uncertainties associated with the above-mentioned complications. Areas of significant SGD, as shown by both continuous resistivity profiling and radon and radium isotopes, were also associated with the highest non-conservative nutrient (i.e. nitrate) concentrations. Overall, this combination of methods shows promise in differentiating between flow driven by terrestrial processes (hydraulic gradients) and recirculated seawater caused by oceanic forcing.