Representing Fast (Surface) and Slow (Subsurface) Threats to Below-Ground Water Infrastructure in Integrated Urban Coastal Hydrologic Modeling
Image credit: AGUAbstract
As coastal urban areas experience changing precipitation patterns, rising sea and groundwater levels, and saltwater intrusion, the below-ground water infrastructure in these areas may be at risk. For example, existing stormwater infrastructure may be ill-designed to handle increases in precipitation, and infiltration-based stormwater management practices may be further compromised by rising and/or saline groundwater. Shallow, saline groundwater also threatens wastewater conveyance systems if it results in higher inflow and infiltration, potentially impacting the integrity of wastewater treatment. Historically, these threats have been evaluated in silos due to a lack of available tools for simulating both urban water infrastructure and 3D, variable-density groundwater flow. Holistically evaluating these threats therefore requires innovative new models as well as custom workflows for designing relevant precipitation scenarios appropriate for capturing both fast (surface) and slow (subsurface) hazards. Here, we share our framework for an emerging model solution – coupling EPA’s Stormwater Management Model (SWMM) and USGS’s MODFLOW – and associated workflow for preparing custom model inputs that are appropriate for assessing these compound hazards, with an emphasis on the importance of reproducibility. We also share emerging insights from communities in the Dover, DE region of the Atlantic Coastal Plain, which illustrate important considerations for communities in relatively flat coastal areas.
Austin K. Farnum
PhD Student
Omowumi Erukubami
PhD Candidate
