A global coastal permeability dataset (CoPerm 1.0)

Abstract

The permeability of aquifers strongly influences groundwater flow characteristics. Worldwide, coastal groundwater is often the primary freshwater source for coastal communities and ecosystems but is also particularly vulnerable to abstraction since saltwater intrusion may threaten its quality. Thus, understanding coastal permeability is crucial to the sustainable use of coastal groundwater. Here, we present the first global dataset of coastal permeability (CoPerm 1.0), which provides data on coasts’ landward, shoreline, and seaward permeability. CoPerm accounts for shoreline characteristics such as cliffs and beaches and contains information on four million segments representing more than two million kilometers of global coastline. Rocky Shores are the most abundant shoreline class, followed by mangroves, beaches, and muddy coasts. Permeability differs between the immediate shoreline (median permeability: 10−12.3 m2), the seaward (median: 10−13.3 m2), and the landward (median: 10−13 m2) sides of the coast. CoPerm provides input data for global coastal groundwater assessments and regional studies of submarine groundwater discharge or saltwater intrusion that can radiate into ecological and economic studies.