“Pratt”ling about coastal groundwater
Hydrogeological Drivers of Marsh Migration
Terrestrial Groundwater Drives Coastal Ecosystem Shifts
Funding: NSF EAR 2012484
Data from across the Delmarva Peninsula, USA show that mild droughts cause a reversal in hydraulic gradients, causing shallow saline groundwater to push inland from coastal wetlands to uplands. Drought-induced salinization on seasonal timescales may be more detrimental to freshwater ecosystems than the slow creep of sea level rise or overwash from episodic storm surges. Droughts are a new, terrestrial driver of ecosystem shifts that could become increasingly significant with climate
Manuscript: https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL116251
In the Works:
Untangling Dynamic Drivers of Salt Marsh Migration
Funding: NSF EAR 2012484
This project explores how the interactions between vertical and lateral salinization, combined with flushing and flooding events, influence the spatial extent, temporal dynamics, and persistence of saltwater intrusion in coastal wetlands. By leveraging high-resolution field observations and a regionally diverse study design, this research aims to identify distinct temporal and directional patterns of marsh migration.
Antecedent Hydrological Conditions as the Primary Control on Surge Salinization
Funding: NSF EAR 2012484
We are developing a 2D site-informed Hydrogeosphere model of a marsh-to-upland transect to investigate the terrestrial groundwater table and its ability to buffer surges or exacerbate vertical infiltration. We simulate both seaside forcings (surges) and terrestrial forcings (drought) with their respective timings, to explore the relative importance of different mechanisms and timescales of salinization. Both the field data and model improve our understanding of how press, pulse, and intermediate drivers contribute to saltwater intrusion.
Dannielle Pratt 