SGER: A Multi-Tracer Approach for Estimating Submarine Groundwater Discharge in Salt Marsh Estuaries

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ABSTRACTOCE-0346933An investigator from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution proposes to examine submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) in Plum Island Estuary and Pamet River Estuary, two contrasting salt marsh estuaries in Massachusetts. Plum Island Estuary is characterized by freshwater inputs dominated by surface runoff and Pamet River Estuary has groundwater as its major source of freshwater. The investigator hypothesizes that seawater circulation (total SGD) through salt marsh sediments will dominate at Plum Island Estuary, whereas freshwater SGD will be more important at the Pamet River Estuary. Total SGD represents the amount of freshwater that enters the coastal ocean from a hydraulically connected aquifer and freshwater SGD refers to the advective flow of mixtures of fresh and brackish waters into the coastal zone. To test the hypothesis, the investigator proposes a multi-tracer approach using radium isotopes and radon to estimate total and freshwater SGD. A main goal of this study is to provide an approach which will help quantify the source of nitrogen to salt marsh estuaries.