Are Groundwater Seeps Piping Excess Nutrients into the Sea?
Historically, the chief concern associated with the hydrological connection between groundwater the water that flows beneath the Earth’s surface and the ocean has been saltwater intrusion into coastal drinking-water supplies. However, several studies now suggest that groundwater discharges, or “seeps,” may play a significant role in transporting contaminants, particularly excess nutrients, from the land to the sea. Oceanographers Bill Ullman and Doug Miller from the University of Delaware College of Marine Studies are using infrared images taken by aircraft and ground surveys to map where these freshwater seeps enter Delaware Bay. Their study area is the Delaware coast from Cape Henlopen to the St. Jones River. Once the seeps have been identified, the scientists will use several chemical techniques to determine the differences in distributions of nitrogen the predominant nutrient contaminant in Delaware groundwater in the seep zones compared to adjacent, non-seep areas. They also will
