Projection of saline intrusion into groundwater in the context of climate change in the coastal zone of Ha Tinh province

Abstract

In addition to surface water, groundwater is an essential source of water for agriculture, industry, and living in Ha Tinh province (central Vietnam). However, overexploitation and unreasonable use of groundwater has put this resource at risk of endangerment and pollution. In the coastal areas especially, the impact of climate change and the rise in sea-level has increased the risk of salt-water intrusion into groundwater. In this study, the groundwater system model (GSM) is applied to simulate the intrusion of saline water in different climate change scenarios in the coastal area of Ha Tinh province. The result reveals that saline intrusion into groundwater is becoming more complex and is a rising trend in climate change scenarios RCP4.5 and RCP8.5.