Salt Water Intrusion

Saltwater intrusion is the movement of saline water into freshwater aquifers.

Saline water is water that contains a significant concentration of dissolved salts and
an aquifer is an underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock, rock fractures
or unconsolidated materials from which groundwater can be extracted using a water
well. When the fresh groundwater supply decreases the boundary can move further
inland. Conversely, when the fresh groundwater supply increases, the boundary can
shift seaward. When the mixing of saltwater with freshwater beneath the surface
occurs in an area that was previously fresh. Saltwater intrusion can become a
problem when saltwater moves far enough inland that it intrudes into fresh
groundwater sources, which can lead to contamination of drinking water sources
and other consequences.
Saltwater intrusion is a problem because it contaminates the fresh water. The
consequences of saltwater intrusion for supply wells vary widely, depending on
extent of the intrusion, the intended use of the water, and whether the salinity
exceeds standards for the intended use. It is important to note that saltwater
composed most of the body of water. Saltwater is about 97.5% of the whole body of
water. The remaining 2.5% is the fresh water, which is considerably insignificant
amount of water but is very important to all living being in this planet. Plants,
animals, and we human beings need to drink from fresh water. Let us try to imagine
if this problem of saltwater intrusion continues to occur, there will come a time that
many of us have the difficulty to find a fresh water to drink.
This problem mostly happens in coastal areas, because sea level rise,
changing precipitation regimes and changing groundwater recharge rates may
influence the incidence of saltwater intrusion. While some elements are likely to
have more direct impacts on saltwater intrusion (e.g., sea-level rise), others may
have an impact in less direct ways (e.g., changing recharge regimes), depending on
local conditions. In all cases, however, the dynamic subsurface interaction between
freshwater and saltwater is both complex and influential, and is therefore deserving
of close attention in coastal regions. We know for a fact that Philippines is an
archipelago, which some of its islands are considered coastal. Thus, this country is
really affected by this saltwater intrusion. This is a big problem that needs attention
and solution.
Though saltwater intrusion is a naturally occurring process, it can also be
influenced by human activity. One of the causes is the groundwater extraction.
Groundwater extraction can lower the level of the freshwater table, reducing the
pressure exerted by the freshwater column and allowing the denser saltwater to
move inland laterally. When coastal communities use wells to pump fresh drinking
water to the surface, it often makes the problem of saltwater intrusion worse. When
more freshwater is pumped from the ground than groundwater can supply, as can
often occur in densely-populated coastal areas, the well starts to pump water with

an increased salt content. Once groundwater is contaminated with too much

saltwater, the well or groundwater source can no longer be used for drinking water,
and it often has to be abandoned altogether.
Another
cause
of
saltwater
intrusion
is
the
construction
of canals and drainage networks. Drainage networks constructed to drain flat
coastal areas can lead to intrusion by lowering the freshwater table, reducing the
water pressure exerted by the freshwater column. Other contributors to saltwater
intrusion include navigation channels or agricultural and drainage channels, which
provide conduits for saltwater to move inland, and sea level rise. Saltwater intrusion
can also be worsened by extreme events like storm surges, like what happened in
Tacloban.
Saltwater intrusion, as stated above, is a naturally occurring process.
However, it can be prevented from worsening by reducing or stopping the man
made contributions of this issue, such as ground water extraction, the not very
planned canals and drainage networks, and the not so well-organized agricultural
drainages. There should be an agency or department of the government that would
settle this matter. Perhaps, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources
(DENR) must work on the preservation of our fresh water. Lastly, we, as the
guardian of our environment, may plant more trees, segregate and dispose our
garbage properly, and conserve water by doing simple things such as, but not
limited to, turning off our faucet properly if not in use, turn on our faucet in a
moderate manner, store water, and water our plants using our stored water.

Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saltwater_intrusion
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saline_water
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquifer
http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/2003/circ1262/#heading156057192
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saltwater_intrusion#Causes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saltwater_intrusion#Effect_on_water_supply
http://www.gov.pe.ca/photos/original/cle_WA1.pdf