Stephen Bartlett

Areas of interest

Characterizing and modelling the development of coastal aquifers during periods of marine transgression.

My broad research interests are in groundwater sustainability and management. Coastal communities, my own included, are threatened by the effects of climate change upon groundwater, including uncertain, variable recharge and contamination of aquifers by saltwater intrusion. My research will combine field work with groundwater modelling to answer questions such as: how did coastal sediment stratigraphy, composition, grain size, etc. at previous times of marine transgression influence the present-day distribution of saline paleo-groundwater in coastal aquifers? How might an understanding of this allow us to determine which areas in BC are at highest risk for adverse effects of saltwater intrusion?