Cyclic flow of salt water in the Biscayne aquifer of southeastern Florida

Observations over a period of nearly 20 years confirm the fact that the salt-water front in the Biscayne aquifer along the coast of the Miami area, Florida, is dynamically stable at a position seaward of that computed according to the Ghyben-Herzberg principle. During periods of heavy recharge the fresh-water head is high enough to cause the fresh water, the salt water, and the zone of diffusion between them to move seaward. In addition to this bodily movement of the system, there is a seaward flow of diluted salt water in the zone of diffusion. When the fresh-water head is low, salt water in the lower part of the aquifer intrudes inland, but some of the diluted sea water in the zone of diffusion continues to flow seaward. Cross sections showing equipotential lines in terms of equivalent fresh-water head show that the sea water flows inland, becoming progressively diluted with fresh water, to a line along which there is no horizontal component of flow, after which it moves upward and returns to the sea. The cyclic flow acts as a deterrent to the encroachment of sea water because of return to the sea of a part of the inland flow.