Navigating Salinity Challenges: The Saltwater Intrusion Project in Eastern North Carolina

Farmers in eastern North Carolina face challenges from increased salinity in groundwater and soils, affecting crop production. The Saltwater Intrusion Project, part of Elnaz Pezeshki’s Ph.D. at ECU, investigates this issue in Hyde and Pasquotank counties.

Elnaz (right) and Oceana (left) troubleshooting and performing maintenance on the electrical resistivity surveyor during a field shift to Hyde County, NC.

Funded by NC Sea Grant, the project uses electrical resistivity surveying for soil salinization studies and includes field trips for data collection and sensor maintenance. It also involves analyzing core samples for sediment grain size. This two-year initiative aims to understand soil salinization and saltwater intrusion using geophysical and hydrological methods, while educating local farmers and stakeholders about their impacts. This research also offers valuable experience for student researchers in WaterCorps, preparing them for future geoscience careers.

Client: Elnaz Pezeshki

Project Faculty Mentor: Dr. Matt Sirianni

Project Owner: Oceana Apollo

Key Team Members: Thomas Shelton, Nicholas Kruchten, Trey Blackwell, and Lucia Wall

Necessary Skills and Learning Opportunities: Geophysical Analysis, Sensor Data Downloading, Sensor Maintenance, Sensor Calibration, Field Notetaking, YSI ProDSS Testing, Core Sampling, Grain Size Analysis, ROTAP, Data Entry.

Are you interested in working with ECU WaterCorps? 

If you are interested in working with ECU WaterCorps, please fill out the attached form and send it to water@ecu.edu. ECU WaterCorps will then review the project request and determine if we have the capability and staffing to assist with the proposed project. We encourage potential clients to directly contact us at water@ecu.edu prior to submitting the form to help with scoping the project.

 

Click here to download the ECU WaterCorps Client Application Form!

 

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