Fresh Groundwater Beneath Our Oceans

Abstract

Have you ever tried to dig a deep hole at the beach? At the bottom of the hole, it probably got very wet, making it difficult to dig any deeper. That is when you reached the groundwater. In many places, groundwater is the main source of fresh water for drinking and farming. In your hole on the beach, the water was probably salty and not drinkable right? That is because you are so close to the salty ocean. However, in some locations, you can find freshwater coming out of the ground right on the beach. In other locations, if you swim out into the ocean and dive down, you can find holes in the seafloor where fresh groundwater comes out. These groundwater springs in the ocean are important for the surrounding ecosystems and coastal communities. Fresh groundwater can be found up to 90 km off the coast and could be a potential future source of drinking water in dry regions.