Groundwater issues pose an urgent, yet under-the-radar threat to coastal communities. They can be just as damaging as flooding, but have few visible warning signs.

Storms and sea level rise push salty groundwater inland, raising water tables. This upward swell can damage buried infrastructure, including sewers, cables, septic systems, and basements.

Surface flooding causes saltwater to seep into the ground, which can take decades to flush out. Combined with salty inland groundwater, this intrusion can compromise fresh groundwater systems used for drinking water and irrigation.

An important goal of RISCC is to identify the ways in which emergent groundwater risks vary across communities along the East Coast.

RISCC Objective 3 assesses how current and future groundwater risks vary across communities with different land uses and geography. Researchers will help communities anticipate potential groundwater threats so they can lessen their impact.