The Impact of Groundwater Seepage on Coastal Ecosystems

Adina Paytan, assistant professor of geological and environmental sciences at Stanford University, is a detective who searches for sources of beach pollution. She travels widely to different shorelines, measuring and detecting chronic coastal pollution. Her theory is that ground water discharging into our coastal waters may be as equally important as urban runoff. Knowing the source of coastal water pollution is important to economics as well as ecology to ensure adequate conservation of our coastlines. These areas not only contain favorite swimming beaches, but also house coral reefs, sandy beach ecosystems, marine nurseries, and unique habitats such as mangroves and salt marshes.