20 Hydrogeology and Marine/Coastal Geoscience

This session covers aspects related to SGDs & their associated aquifers, including but not limited to: water–rock interaction, coastal aquifer contamination, geochemical transformation, hydrological flows, saline intrusion, coastal estuaries, and environmental, economic, and social SGD-related issues.

Thursday, 23 April 2026
8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
LMH, Meeting Room

Strengthening technical capacities for the study of submarine groundwater discharges and their impact on coastal areas of the Baja California and Yucatan peninsulas, Mexico

Paper number: 20-5
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 9:15 AM – 9:30 AM

Authors

Abstract

Submarine groundwater discharges (SGDs) have been recognized as important sources not only of freshwater, but also of energy, microorganisms, and several solutes such as nutrients and pollutants, to coastal areas. In Mexico, the study of this process in Mexico dates back two decades, with approximately twenty published works, mainly conducted with the support of foreign researchers. In this context, with the aim of strengthening the infrastructure and human resources necessary to develop this line of research in Mexico, using radiometric, isotopic, geochemical, geohydrological, and oceanographic techniques, radiometric and isotopic measurement equipment is being acquired, and academic training visits with experts are being conducted with the support of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Mexican Ministry of Energy. In parallel, to put the acquired knowledge into practice, and with the support of the Secretariat of Science, Humanities, Technology and Innovation (SECIHTI), the flows of SGDs and their impact on coastal areas of the Baja California and Yucatán peninsulas in Mexico, will be estimated. Both regions have different geological, geohydrological, climatic, and oceanographic characteristics. While Baja California has a desert climate and hydrothermal activity, Yucatán is predominantly characterized by a karst landscape. In both study sites, the absence of surface runoff increases the importance of SGDs and its impact on the surrounding coastal ecosystems.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 58, No. 3

doi: 10.1130/abs/2026CD-410870

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