JFK Environmental Services LLC
JFK Environmental Services LLC
Upton, MA 01568
ph: 508-344-2831
jfknott
Climate Change
JFK Enviroserv performs Climate Change Vulnerability Assessments and Adaptation Planning for communities. Our skills include working with downscaled global climate models to project future temperature, precipitation, sea level, and other environmental parameters for clients in their area of interest. Our experience includes:
- modeling groundwater rise caused by sea-level rise
- assessing the impacts of rising groundwater and temperatures on pavement life
- innundation mapping for various sea-level rise and storm surge scenarios
- modeling saltwater intrusion caused by groundwater pumping, enhanced by sea-level rise
Modeling Groundwater Rise Caused by Sea-Level Rise in Coastal New Hampshire
Jayne F. Knott, Jennifer M. Jacobs, Jo Sias Daniel, Paul Kirshen
Groundwater rise as a percent of sea-level rise predicted in coastal New Hampshire (Study was conducted at the University of New Hampshire and funded by NH Sea Grant)
ABSTRACT
Coastal communities with low topography are vulnerable from sea-level rise (SLR) caused by climate change and glacial isostasy. Coastal groundwater will rise with sea level impacting water quality, the structural integrity of infrastructure, and natural ecosystem health. SLR-induced groundwater rise has been studied in coastal areas of high aquifer transmissivity. In this regional study, SLR-induced groundwater rise is investigated in a coastal area characterized by shallow unconsolidated deposits overlying fractured bedrock, typical of the glaciated northeast. A numerical groundwater-flow model is used with groundwater observations and withdrawals, LIDAR topography, and surface-water hydrology to investigate SLR-induced changes in groundwater levels in New Hampshire’s coastal region.
The SLR groundwater signal is detected more than 3 times farther inland than projected tidal flooding from SLR. The projected mean groundwater rise relative to SLR is 68% between 0 and 1 km, 35% between 1 and 2 km, 19% between 2 and 3 km, 8% between 3 and 4 km, and 3% between 4 and 5 km of the coastline with large variability around the mean. The largest magnitude of SLR-induced groundwater rise occurs in the marine and estuarine deposits and peninsulas with tidal water bodies on three sides. Groundwater rise is dampened near streams. Groundwater inundation is projected to contribute 48% of the total inundated area from both SLR-induced groundwater rise and marine tidal flooding in the City of Portsmouth with consequences for built and natural resources. Freshwater wetlands are projected to expand 3% by year 2030 increasing to 25% by the end of the century coupled with water-depth increases.
ADDITIONAL INDEX WORDS: Inundation, tidal flooding, wetlands, groundwater modeling, climate change, coastal impacts, groundwater-rise zone.
Good Harbor Beach and Salt Marsh: 0.5-foot above mean higher high water (MHHW)
Good Harbor Beach and Salt Marsh: 2-feet above MHHW
Good Harbor Beach and Salt Marsh - 5-feet above MHHW
Good Harbor Beach and Salt Marsh - 5-feet above mean MHHW with 4-foot storm surge - approximates FEMA flood level (14-feet NAVD88)
JFK Environmental Services LLC
Upton, MA 01568
ph: 508-344-2831
jfknott