• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.218-226
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• 2016

Field observations were used to study the characteristics and influence of groundwater level fluctuations on vegetation development on the natural beach of a sandy barrier island, in the Nakdong River estuary. The spatial/temporal fluctuations of the groundwater level and the interactions with the external forces (weather, ocean wave and tide) were analyzed. The results indicated that when it rains the groundwater level rises. During summer, when precipitation intensity is greater than 20 mm/hour, it rose rapidly over 20 cm. Subsequently, it fell gradually during periods of no precipitation. Seasonal characteristics indicated that the groundwater level was high during the summer rainy season and tended to fall in the winter dry season. The time-averaged groundwater level, observed from the four observations over 3 years (2012-2014), was about 1.47 m, higher than mean sea level (M.S.L.). It was shown that the average annual groundwater level rises toward the land rather than showing intertidal patterns observation. Differences in the presence or absence of a coastal sand dunes affected the progress of vegetation. In other words, in environments of saltwater intrusion where the groundwater level varies, dependent on the distance from the shoreline and bottom slope, sand dunes can be provided to affect soil conditions and groundwater, so that vegetation can be grown reliably.