Sharan, Ashneel, Datta, Bithin, Lal, Alvin, and Kotra, Krishna K. (2024) Management of saltwater intrusion using 3D numerical modelling: a first for Pacific Island country of Vanuatu. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 196. 120.

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Abstract

Small island countries like Vanuatu are facing the brunt of climate change, sea level rise (SLR), tropical cyclones, and limited or declining access to freshwater. The Tagabe coastal aquifer in Port Vila (the capital of Vanuatu) shows the presence of salinity, indicating saltwater intrusion (SWI). This study aims to develop and evaluate effective SWI management strategies for Tagabe coastal aquifer. To manage SWI, the numerical simulation model for the study area was developed using the SEAWAT code. The flow model was developed using MODFLOW and the transport model was developed using MT3DMS. Whereby SEAWAT solved flow and transport equations simultaneously. The model was calibrated, and different scenarios were evaluated for the management of SWI. The SLR was also considered in the model simulations. The results indicated that increased population, pumping rates, and SLR affect the SWI rates. To manage the SWI, we introduced hydraulic barriers like barrier wells and injection wells which effectively managed SWI in Tagabe coastal aquifer. The results from this study are significantly important whereby, the water managers, site owners, and governing bodies can use the management strategies presented in this study to create policies and regulations for managing SWI rates in Port Vila. Additionally, the water industry, private businesses, and investors who wish to extract groundwater from the Tagabe can use this study as a reference for daily or yearly freshwater production rates without the risk of SWI.

Item ID:	81545
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	1573-2959
Keywords:	Groundwater modelling, Saltwater intrusion, SEAWAT, Coastal aquifer, Hydraulic barriers
Copyright Information:	This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Date Deposited:	09 Jan 2024 22:12
FoR Codes:	37 EARTH SCIENCES > 3707 Hydrology > 370703 Groundwater hydrology @ 30% 40 ENGINEERING > 4005 Civil engineering > 400513 Water resources engineering @ 70%
SEO Codes:	18 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT > 1803 Fresh, ground and surface water systems and management > 180305 Ground water quantification, allocation and impact of depletion @ 40% 18 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT > 1803 Fresh, ground and surface water systems and management > 180399 Fresh, ground and surface water systems and management not elsewhere classified @ 60%
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