Description
Submarine Groundwater Discharge is increasingly recognised as an important pathway of water and pollutants to the ocean However, estimating SGD remains challenging due to limited data - not only direct SGD measurements, but also the hydrological, geological and marine datasets required for model development and calibration (e.g. precipitation, evapotranspiration, runoff, soil and bedrock properties, river discharge, sea level). In some cases, these data sources may exist but are not known or easily accessible, and the challenge became how to identify and use them effectively.
At the same time, there is growing interest in applying existing hydrological and environmental models and freely available datasets or platforms to support SGD estimation. Combining these tools with innovative field techniques, tracer applications, geophysical methods, and remote sensing could help overcome the current data scarcity and improve our ability to model SGD in coastal catchments. This is particularly important for vulnerable regions such as the Baltic Sea, where SGD may represent a significant but unaccounted pathway of nutrients and contaminants to the marine environment.
This session aims to bring together researchers and practitioners working on SGD measurement, monitoring, data integration and modelling. We welcome case studies, methodological developments, and cross disciplinary approaches that shows how improved data access and integration can advance SGD research, coastal management, and sustainable water governance in coastal areas. This session will address following topics as well as related ones:
• New and established methods for direct and indirect measurement of SGD (e.g. tracers, seepage meters, geophysical methods, remote sensing).
• Monitoring strategies and networks to obtain hydrological, geological, and marine datasets relevant to SGD estimation.
• Experiences with existing hydrological/oceanographic models and platforms for SGD assessment.
• Use of freely available datasets and open platforms to support SGD modelling and calibration.
• Approaches to combine different data sources into groundwater–coastal models.
• Case studies from coastal regions.
• Opportunities for improved data availability and awareness for better quantification and management of SGD
• Management perspectives: experiences, challenges and solutions for addressing SGD related impacts on coastal water quality and resource sustainability.