Submarine groundwater discharge is volumetrically significant in solute exchange between land and sea. Assessment of geological controls on groundwater seep locations must be determined in order to ultimately determine the impact of land use variability on the Long Bay (Myrtle Beach coastal area) ecosystem.
In this continuing project, the research team will (1) map seasonal or annual variability in the electrical structure of shallow marine sediments, (2) integrate continuous resistivity profiles (CRP) with existing Chirp and Boomer sub-bottom profiles, (3) evaluate spatial and temporal variability of SGD rates via radon-222 measurements, (4) mine Horry County and NOAA CSC GIS products describing land use, (5) determine chemical speciation and SGD fluxes of nutrients, and (6) integrate all data sets with spatial 3-D visualization software.