Mechanisms of salinization of coastal water resources and ecosystems: Insights from observations across the Mid-Atlantic
Dr. Holly Michael, Professor of Earth Sciences at the University of Delaware, presents “Mechanisms of salinization of coastal water resources and ecosystems: Insights from observations across the Mid-Atlantic” at the October 2026 RISING Webinar.
Presentation Description: Coastlines around the world are rapidly changing as sea level rises and coastal storms become more frequent and intense. Coastal water resources are vulnerable to salinization, exacerbated by overuse. As salinity increases and flooding becomes more frequent, marshes migrate inland, displacing trees and croplands. Understanding the primary factors that affect aquifer vulnerability to changes in salinity and groundwater flow patterns is critical to developing effective management plans in coastal zones. We present examples of salinization mechanisms in coastal systems around the Mid-Atlantic. The examples span different land use and ecosystems, and consider both surface and subsurface pathways for salinization. We address effects on water resources, agriculture, and ecosystems that span the land-sea margin.
Resources:
Select journal articles referenced in the presentation:
Chen, Y., & Kirwan, M. L. (2024). Upland forest retreat lags behind sea‐level rise in the mid‐Atlantic coast. Global Change Biology, 30(1), e17081. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.17081
Fagherazzi, S., Nordio, G., Boaga, J., Cassiani, G., Michael, H. A., Pratt, D., ... & Stotts, S. (2025). The ecohydrology of coastal ghost forests. Ecohydrology, 18(2), e70020. https://doi.org/10.1002/eco.70020
Frederiks, R., Carleton, G., Paldor, A., & Michael, H.A. (2024). A comparison of sea-level rise and storm-surge overwash effects on groundwater salinity of a barrier island. Journal of Hydrology, 644, 132050. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.132050
Frederiks, R.S., Paldor, A., Donati, L., Carleton, G., & Michael, H.A. (2024) Drivers of barrier island water-table fluctuations and groundwater salinization. Science of the Total Environment. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174102
Guimond, J.A., & Michael, H.A. (2021). Effects of marsh migration on flooding, saltwater intrusion, and crop yield in coastal agricultural land subject to storm surge inundation. Water Resources Research (joint special issue with Journal of Geophysical Research – Oceans). https://doi.org/10.1029/2020WR028326
Hingst, M.A., Housego, R., He, C., Ball, L., Minsley, B., & Michael, H.A. (2024). Beyond the wedge: Impact of tidal streams on salinization of groundwater in a coastal aquifer stressed by pumping and sea-level rise. Water Resources Research, 60(10), e2023WR035840. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023WR035840
Hingst, M. C., McQuiggan, R. W., Peters, C. N., He, C., Andres, A. S., & Michael, H. A. (2023). Surface water‐groundwater connections as pathways for inland salinization of coastal aquifers. Groundwater, 61(5), 626-638. https://doi.org/10.1111/gwat.13274
Kirwan, M. L., Michael, H. A., Gedan, K. B., Tully, K. L., Fagherazzi, S., McDowell, N. G., ... & Stotts, S. (2025). Feedbacks regulating the salinization of coastal landscapes. Annual Review of Marine Science, 17(1), 461-484. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-marine-070924-031447
Pratt, D., Guimond, J. A., Bacmeister, E. S., Fagherazzi, S., & Michael, H. A. (2025). Terrestrial groundwater drives coastal ecosystem shifts. Geophysical Research Letters, 52(14), e2025GL116251. https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL116251
Pratt, D., Guimond, J.A., Messerschmidt, T., Jobe, J., Gedan, K.B., Kirwan, M.L., Nordio, G., Fagherazzi, S., & Michael, H.A. (2026). Untangling dynamic drivers of salt marsh migration. Water Resources Research, in press.
Check out more of Dr. Michael’s work:
News Article: Turning Salt-Damaged Fields into Marshes Could Save Maryland Farmland—and The Chesapeake Bay
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