The potential effect of climate-change induced consecutive dry or wet years on the freshwater lens of a barrier island (Langeoog, Germany)ZENODO

Study region: Barrier island Langeoog at the German North Sea coast Study focus: Due to climate change it is predicted that extreme weather events such as droughts and floods will occur more often in future. Since such events strongly influence the groundwater recharge, they will likely affect the f...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Lena Thissen, Janek Greskowiak, Gudrun Massmann
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-10-01
Series:Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214581825005051
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849391888878010368
author Lena Thissen
Janek Greskowiak
Gudrun Massmann
author_facet Lena Thissen
Janek Greskowiak
Gudrun Massmann
author_sort Lena Thissen
collection DOAJ
description Study region: Barrier island Langeoog at the German North Sea coast Study focus: Due to climate change it is predicted that extreme weather events such as droughts and floods will occur more often in future. Since such events strongly influence the groundwater recharge, they will likely affect the freshwater volume on many small barrier islands. This is critical where freshwater lenses are the only source of drinking water. Groundwater abstraction for drinking water supply also influences the freshwater volume. To investigate the potential near-future climate change impacts, the influence of consecutive dry or wet years on the freshwater lens combined with several pumping scenarios is calculated using a density-dependent groundwater flow and transport model. Chosen sub-annual recharge and pumping rates are based on values from the past and, therefore, considered realistic for the island. New hydrological insights for the region: Five extremely dry years would shrink the volume of the freshwater lens by 20 %. Extremely wet years cause flooding of large areas in the island interior. As the water table adjusts fast to new recharge conditions, flooding within the second winter is almost as severe as in the fifth winter. Tides and storm surges at the mesotidal coast have a great impact on the freshwater lens by constraining the area where fresh groundwater develops and affecting the water table in the interior of the island.
format Article
id doaj-art-1508b3635e6a4d3d9448539f4b7649fc
institution Kabale University
issn 2214-5818
language English
publishDate 2025-10-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies
spelling doaj-art-1508b3635e6a4d3d9448539f4b7649fc2025-08-20T03:40:54ZengElsevierJournal of Hydrology: Regional Studies2214-58182025-10-016110267610.1016/j.ejrh.2025.102676The potential effect of climate-change induced consecutive dry or wet years on the freshwater lens of a barrier island (Langeoog, Germany)ZENODOLena Thissen0Janek Greskowiak1Gudrun Massmann2Corresponding author.; Institute of Biology and Environmental Sciences (IBU), Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), School of Mathematics and Science, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Ammerländer Heerstraße 114-118, Oldenburg 26129, GermanyInstitute of Biology and Environmental Sciences (IBU), Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), School of Mathematics and Science, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Ammerländer Heerstraße 114-118, Oldenburg 26129, GermanyInstitute of Biology and Environmental Sciences (IBU), Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), School of Mathematics and Science, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Ammerländer Heerstraße 114-118, Oldenburg 26129, GermanyStudy region: Barrier island Langeoog at the German North Sea coast Study focus: Due to climate change it is predicted that extreme weather events such as droughts and floods will occur more often in future. Since such events strongly influence the groundwater recharge, they will likely affect the freshwater volume on many small barrier islands. This is critical where freshwater lenses are the only source of drinking water. Groundwater abstraction for drinking water supply also influences the freshwater volume. To investigate the potential near-future climate change impacts, the influence of consecutive dry or wet years on the freshwater lens combined with several pumping scenarios is calculated using a density-dependent groundwater flow and transport model. Chosen sub-annual recharge and pumping rates are based on values from the past and, therefore, considered realistic for the island. New hydrological insights for the region: Five extremely dry years would shrink the volume of the freshwater lens by 20 %. Extremely wet years cause flooding of large areas in the island interior. As the water table adjusts fast to new recharge conditions, flooding within the second winter is almost as severe as in the fifth winter. Tides and storm surges at the mesotidal coast have a great impact on the freshwater lens by constraining the area where fresh groundwater develops and affecting the water table in the interior of the island.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214581825005051Coastal aquiferDroughtsFloodGroundwater rechargeGroundwater abstractionNumerical modelling
spellingShingle Lena Thissen
Janek Greskowiak
Gudrun Massmann
The potential effect of climate-change induced consecutive dry or wet years on the freshwater lens of a barrier island (Langeoog, Germany)ZENODO
Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies
Coastal aquifer
Droughts
Flood
Groundwater recharge
Groundwater abstraction
Numerical modelling
title The potential effect of climate-change induced consecutive dry or wet years on the freshwater lens of a barrier island (Langeoog, Germany)ZENODO
title_full The potential effect of climate-change induced consecutive dry or wet years on the freshwater lens of a barrier island (Langeoog, Germany)ZENODO
title_fullStr The potential effect of climate-change induced consecutive dry or wet years on the freshwater lens of a barrier island (Langeoog, Germany)ZENODO
title_full_unstemmed The potential effect of climate-change induced consecutive dry or wet years on the freshwater lens of a barrier island (Langeoog, Germany)ZENODO
title_short The potential effect of climate-change induced consecutive dry or wet years on the freshwater lens of a barrier island (Langeoog, Germany)ZENODO
title_sort potential effect of climate change induced consecutive dry or wet years on the freshwater lens of a barrier island langeoog germany zenodo
topic Coastal aquifer
Droughts
Flood
Groundwater recharge
Groundwater abstraction
Numerical modelling
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214581825005051
work_keys_str_mv AT lenathissen thepotentialeffectofclimatechangeinducedconsecutivedryorwetyearsonthefreshwaterlensofabarrierislandlangeooggermanyzenodo
AT janekgreskowiak thepotentialeffectofclimatechangeinducedconsecutivedryorwetyearsonthefreshwaterlensofabarrierislandlangeooggermanyzenodo
AT gudrunmassmann thepotentialeffectofclimatechangeinducedconsecutivedryorwetyearsonthefreshwaterlensofabarrierislandlangeooggermanyzenodo
AT lenathissen potentialeffectofclimatechangeinducedconsecutivedryorwetyearsonthefreshwaterlensofabarrierislandlangeooggermanyzenodo
AT janekgreskowiak potentialeffectofclimatechangeinducedconsecutivedryorwetyearsonthefreshwaterlensofabarrierislandlangeooggermanyzenodo
AT gudrunmassmann potentialeffectofclimatechangeinducedconsecutivedryorwetyearsonthefreshwaterlensofabarrierislandlangeooggermanyzenodo