Special Issue on Managing Coastal Aquifers

More than 60% of the world population live within 160.934 km (100 mi) of the sea, and the percentage is expected to increase in the next 50 years. This population increase puts major stress on coastal aquifers because these are, in many instances, the major source of drinking and agricultural water in coastal areas. The problems are expected to be exacerbated by climate change, which would increase the evaporation from coastal aquifers and cause a rise in sea level. The management of coastal aquifers requires an understanding that crosses the boundaries of disciplines; whereas inland hydraulics are commonly addresses by hydrologists, the shorelines are usually managed through the lenses of coastal and marine scientists (and engineers). There are very few academic institutions that offer programs for quantifying processes across the shorelines. In addition, the United States’ funding agencies have not traditionally invested in cross-shorelines programs. Fortunately, more effort has shifted toward investing in coastal systems, as evidenced by the recent effort by the National Science Foundation through the Coastal Sustainability Program. In addition, major firms that focused on coastal engineering and protection are developing divisions to address coastal sustainability at various scales. But more investment is still needed to train both engineers and scientists on this new discipline and to address urgent challenges.