Conceptualization of a fresh groundwater lens influenced by climate change: A modeling study of an arid-region island in the Persian Gulf, Iran

Fresh groundwater resources in a large sand replenishment

“…To our knowledge, no other studies have integrated the effect of the morphological evolution of coastal areas and climate change on fresh groundwater resources, and the number of quantitative studies that investigate the possibility to combine coastal defence with the protection of fresh groundwater resources are scarce (Oude Essink and Waterman, 2016;Oude Essink, 2001). However, studies on small islands have shown that great losses in the volume of fresh groundwater can occur as a result of decreases in groundwater recharge and sealevel rise, and especially small and thin lenses seem vulnerable to salinization (Chui and Terry, 2013;Holding and Allen, 2015;Mahmoodzadeh et al, 2014). In relation to the morphological dynamics of coastal regions, studies have shown that the erosion and accretion of sand can lead to substantial changes within the beach-foredune area (Bakker et al, 2012;, and that climate change might exacerbate coastal erosion (FitzGerald et al, 2008;Zhang et al, 2004).…”

“…Particularly small islands (Chui and Terry, 2013;Holding and Allen, 2015;Mahmoodzadeh et al, 2014) and low-lying deltas (Giosan et al, 2014;McGranahan et al, 2007;Oude Essink et al, 2010) are vulnerable to rising sea-levels. Many low-lying deltas, such as the Mekong Delta (Vietnam) and the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta (Bangladesh), are already frequently subjected to extensive floods, leading to considerable economic losses, property damage, and in severe cases loss of life (Few and Matthies, 2006;de Sherbinin et al, 2011;UNDP, 2004).…”

Polynomial chaos expansions for uncertainty propagation and moment independent sensitivity analysis of seawater intrusion simulations

“…In such islands, fresh groundwater usually forms a convex-shaped fresh groundwater lens, which floats on the underlying seawater. This freshwater lens is highly vulnerable to salinization from SWI due to excessive groundwater extraction and climate variability (Falkland, 1991;Mahmoodzadeh et al, 2014). Many real cases of small islands involve two-layer hydrogeological conceptualizations ; Table 3 The relationship between the probability distribution of the uncertain inputs and the type of Wiener-Askey polynomial (Xiu and Karniadakis, 2003a (Wackernagel, 1998), so that the Hermite polynomial can be used.…”

“…c N is a finite integer. Mahmoodzadeh et al, 2014) and this concept has been incorporated into the current case study by using two different permeabilities for the two layers. Fig.…”

Simulations of freshwater lens recharge and salt/freshwater interfaces using the HYDRUS and SWI2 packages for MODFLOW

“…In particular, in view of possible climate change, increased water demands and sea level rise, the development of freshwater lenses supplied with infiltrated rainwater on top of saline aquifers is a subject of intense research (e.g., Werner et al, 2013). A large number of contributions have focused on freshwater lenses in deltaic regions, as well as on islands, peninsulas, or sandbars located in tropical, arid, and temperate climatic zones (e.g., Comte et al, 2014;Contractor and Jenson, 2000;Chang et al, 2016;De Louw et al, 2011;Eeman et al, 2017;Holding and Allen, 2015;Houben and Post, 2016;Illangasekare et al, 2006;Jocson et al, 2002;Mahmoodzadeh et al, 2014;Sadurski et al, 1987;Sinclair et al, 2016;Stuyfzand, 2016;Sulzbacher et al, 2012).…”