Monitoring in situ tidal range and
surface aquifer recharge and discharge on Wallops Island, Virginia
Chariw, J. E., Sabetta, M. J., Oakley, A. J.,
Cornell, S. R., 2012, Monitoring
in situ tidal range and surface aquifer recharge and
discharge on Wallops Island, Virginia, 2012
ASLO-AGU Ocean Sciences Meeting, Abstract ID:11742..
Wallops Island, a barrier island on Virginia’s eastern shore, is
home to NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility. The island often experiences
major erosion, flooding, and overwash in times of elevated
sea-level, however little is known about local tide and wave height
conditions along this shoreline. We collected baseline tidal and
aquifer data between April -October 2011 using SOLINST dataloggers.
In-situ tidal range and tide cycle data allow us to investigate the
impact of tides on aquifer discharge and recharge rates. There is an
observable signal in the aquifer that correlates to daily tide data
from nearby Curtis Merritt Harbor. These data also show that the
surface aquifer recharges approximately 45 minutes after rainfall
events. Beginning in November 2011, NASA plans to replenish the
beach in order to minimize damage to existing infrastructure. In
order to support NASA’s effort to develop a shoreline management
plan, we will continue data collection through April 2012 and
compare conditions pre- and post-replenishment to determine what
impacts, if any, beach replenishment has on the natural barrier
island system.