Coastal Freshwater Salinization: Review of Monitoring Efforts Across U.S. Agencies

Many coastal freshwater systems are experiencing rapid salinization associated with climate change, increased water use, and water diversions. This salinization puts the sustainability of coastal ecosystems, freshwater resources, and nearshore communities at risk. To better adapt to and mitigate these salinization risks, well-coordinated coastal monitoring is needed to evaluate the migration of the saltwater front in both surface water and groundwater systems. However, due to the various mechanisms and patterns by which saltwater may intrude, there is a lack of a cohesive framework for monitoring. To support data-driven water-resources planning, encourage information sharing, and help identify data gaps, this review highlights some of the existing efforts across U.S.-based agencies and presents an inventory of case studies, datasets, data portals, and models related to coastal salinization. Further, we provide recommendations for future work to better equip coastal communities with tools for resiliency planning and responding to climate change.