Delaware
East Coast Has a New Drought Worry
Salty ocean water is creeping up the Delaware River, the source for much of the drinking water for Philadelphians and millions of others, brought on by drought conditions and sea level rise, and prompting officials to tap reservoirs to push the unpotable tide back downstream. Officials say drinking water isn’t imminently at risk yet, but they’re monitoring the effects of the drought on the river and studying options for the future in case further droughts sap the area, per the AP.
- What is the salt front? The salt front, or salt line, is where salt water from the ocean and fresh water meet in the river. That boundary is typically somewhere around Wilmington, Delaware, but the recent drought has pushed it about 20 miles north.