Effect of Beach Slope on the Fresh Water Lens in Small Oceanic Landmasses

摘要

Results are presented of a study undertaken to evaluate the combined boundary effect of beach slope, tides, and waves on the fresh water lens configuration in small oceanic landmasses. The study site is identified as a three-mile barrier beach on the south coast of Rhode Island, bounded on one side by the Atlantic Ocean and on the other by a broad, shallow saltwater pond. Hydrologic parameters are provided and field observations, consisting of groundwater level, temperature, and conductance measurements over a one-year period, are discussed. Measurements indicate that a fresh water lens with a maximum fresh water thickness of about ten feet and a transition zone of about sixteen feet persists throughout the year.