Science Source
Sea-level rise and other influences on decadal-scale salinity variability in a coastal plain estuary
- Determines the response of salinity in the Delaware Estuary to climatic variations using statistical models and long-term (1950-present) records of salinity from the U.S. Geological Surveyand the Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory
- Finds that several locations in the estuary show significant upward trends in salinity
- Finds insignificant trends at locations that are normally upstream of the salt front
- The models indicate a positive correlation between rising sea levels and increasing residual salinity, with salinity rising from 2.5 to 4.4 per meter of sea-level rise
- These results are consistent with results from 1D and dynamical models
- Finds that wind stress also appears to play some role in driving salinity variations, consistent with its effect on vertical mixing and Ekman transport between the estuary and the ocean
- The results suggest that continued sea-level rise in the future will cause salinity to increase regardless of any change in streamflow
Related Content
Headline
Feb 15, 2023 | Climate Nexus Hot News
Senegal's Saint-Louis At Forefront Of Sea Level Rise-Fueled Disruption
Headline
Sep 1, 2022 | Climate Nexus Hot News
Greenland Ice Already Doomed To Melt Will Raise Global Sea Levels At Least 10 Inches
Headline
Aug 3, 2022 | Climate Nexus Hot News
Coastal flooding on the rise as sea levels climb, finds NOAA
Headline
Jul 21, 2022 | CNN
A 'Not Normal' Amount Of Greenland's Ice Melted Last Weekend
