Ground-Water Hydrology and Simulation of Saltwater Encroachment, Shallow Aquifer System of Southern Cape May County, New Jersey

摘要

Saltwater encroachment is occurring in the shallow aquifer system in the peninsula of Cape May County, New Jersey because of increasing withdrawals for public supply. A computer model of the shallow aquifer system was constructed to improve understanding of the hydrogeology of, and saltwater encroachment in, the peninsula. Results of the simulations indicate that (1) the shallow aquifer system on the peninsula is recharged primarily by precipitation, whereas ground-water inflow from the northern part of the County is small; (2) under predevelopment conditions, only a small fraction of the water in the unconfined system leaked to the confined aquifers; (3) present (1989) withdrawals from the confined aquifers cause extensive drawdown in water levels that induces saltwater encroachment; and (4) the saltwater-freshwater interface in the Cohansey aquifer is onshore and near water-supply wells in Cape May City and near the shore west of the Lower Township and Rio Grande well fields.