Impacts of groundwater dynamics around a macro-tidal river on agricultural soil salinity.

Estuaries are vulnerable to oceanic and atmospheric climate change. Much of the research investigating climate change impacts on estuaries is focused on saltwater intrusion within surface water due to drought and rising sea levels, with implications for ecosystems and humans. Groundwater and soil near estuaries may also be influenced, as estuary salinity and hydraulic head changes can impact soils and aquifers not previously at risk of salinization.

Morphodynamics of a composite sand-cobble beach in response to extratropical cyclone Fiona and seasonal wave variability.

Climate change is driving higher coastal water levels, and models project accelerated future sea-level rise and coastal storm intensification. These dynamics paired with anthropogenic coastal alterations will drive drastic coastal change worldwide. Composite beaches with mixed sediment sizes warrant detailed study as these exhibit complex morphodynamics in response to changing hydrodynamics due to the distinct transport thresholds of different sediment types.

Closing the gap between science and management of cold-water refuges in rivers and streams.

Human activities and climate change threaten coldwater organisms in freshwater ecosystems by causing rivers and streams to warm, increasing the intensity and frequency of warm temperature events, and reducing thermal heterogeneity. Cold-water refuges are discrete patches of relatively cool water that are used by coldwater organisms for thermal relief and short-term survival. Globally, cohesive management approaches are needed that consider interlinked physical, biological, and social factors of cold-water refuges.

Impacts of repeated coastal flooding on soil and groundwater following managed dike realignment.

Coastal defense structures (e.g., dikes, seawalls) protect vulnerable communities along marine coastlines and estuaries from the physical and chemical influences of adjacent water bodies.

Impacts of permafrost thaw on streamflow recession in a discontinuous permafrost watershed of northeastern China.

Permafrost thaw due to climate change is altering terrestrial hydrological processes by increasing ground hydraulic conductivity and surface and subsurface hydrologic connectivity across the pan-Arctic. Understanding how runoff responds to changes in hydrologic processes and conditions induced by permafrost thaw is critical for water resources management in high-latitude and high-altitude regions. In this study, we analyzed streamflow recession characteristics for 1964-2016 for the Tahe watershed located at the southern margin of the permafrost region in Eurasia.