A Numerical Approach to Evaluating Groundwater Vulnerability to Seawater Intrusion on Jeju Volcanic Island, South Korea

Dongyeop Lee, Jonghoon Park, Hyun A. Lee and Nam C. Woo ()
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Dongyeop Lee: Department of Earth System Sciences, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
Jonghoon Park: Department of Earth System Sciences, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
Hyun A. Lee: Groundwater Research Center, Jeju Research Institute, 253 Ayeon-ro, Jeju-si 63147, Republic of Korea
Nam C. Woo: Department of Earth System Sciences, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 4, 1-15

Abstract: Seawater intrusion (SWI) is a critical issue for coastal aquifers, especially in islands where groundwater is the sole source of water supply. The objective of this study was to develop a straightforward approach to evaluating groundwater vulnerability to SWI, using a statistical method with spatial analyses applied to the four basins of Jeju volcanic island. In this study, five factors were parametrized, including hydraulic conductivity, groundwater level, distance from shoreline to wells, well depth and groundwater use. These parameters were spatially interpolated and correlated with groundwater electrical conductivity as a proxy for groundwater salinization, resulting in three parameters with significant relations: groundwater use, well depth, and groundwater level. Then, a numerical model for the SWI vulnerability assessment was constructed using ratings and weights, and by evaluating the vulnerability as weak, moderate and high with a numerical index. Regional conditions, including major land-use types, industrial activities, population and the degree of urbanisation, could affect parameters differently at each region. Based on the percentage of area with a high vulnerability, regions of Jeju Island followed the order of eastern > northern > western > southern, indicating that preventive measures for SWI and its influencing parameters could be applied more effectively in certain regions.

Keywords: coastal aquifers; geostatistics; groundwater vulnerability; seawater intrusion; water resources; groundwater management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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