Food & Water Security

Plant scientist Angelia Seyfferth and her student collect samples in a Cambodian paddy where they study factors that affect the uptake of arsenic by rice.

Delaware is located on the Delmarva Peninsula, a strip of land between the Chesapeake Bay on the west and Delaware Bay and the Atlantic Ocean on the east — two waterways that are among the most economically valuable and ecologically vulnerable in the United States. Restrictions on point-source pollution in the region resulted in significant water quality improvements in the l970s and ’80s, but both surface and groundwaters in these watersheds continue to suffer from nonpoint sources of pollution such as runoff from agricultural fields and urban roadways. In addition, new threats to water quality have arisen due to the effects of climate change, from changing rainfall patterns to sea level rise and saltwater inundation. 

While Delaware passed historic legislation protecting its coastal zone from further industrial development in 1971, the legacy of Delaware’s industrial past remains in numerous brownfields, many located in low-lying coastal areas, where contaminants lie contained in the soil. What will be the fate of these contaminants as they increasingly come into contact with saltwater through rising sea levels or watertables, or through inundation by storm surges, is largely unknown and a primary research area for DENIN affiliates.

Drinking water in Delaware’s more hilly northern county largely comes from surfaces waters, while in the state’s more agricultural southern coastal plain, wells supply groundwater for drinking and irrigation. The groundwater supply is also vulnerable to saltwater intrusion from offshore and to the excess nutrients contain in agricultural runoff. Monitoring, predicting, and protecting water supplies and quality within the state and the region are major concerns of many researchers affiliated with DENIN.

Senior Scientist, Hydrogeologist, Delaware Geological Survey, UD
Delaware Geological Survey
University of Delaware
Affiliates
Associate Professor, Plant and Soil Sciences, UD
Affiliates
Professor, Chemistry, and Associate Dean of Interdisciplinary/Collaborative Sponsored Research, Wesley College
Affiliates
Graduate GIS Certificate Director and Associate Professor
Affiliates
Aquaculture and Fisheries Specialist, UD
Affiliates
Unidel Crawford H. Greenewalt Chair in Plant Molecular Biology, Plant and Soil Sciences, UD
Affiliates
Assistant Professor, Plant and Soil Sciences, UD
Affiliates
Associate Professor, Plant and Soil Sciences, UD
Affiliates
Cornelius Tilghman Professor of English, UD
Affiliates
Professor, Agriculture and Natural Resources, and Director, Center for Integrated Biological and Environmental Research (CIBER), DSU
Affiliates
Professor, Animal and Food Sciences, UD
Affiliates
Assistant Professor, Animal and Food Sciences, UD
Affiliates

Affiliates
Assistant Professor, Geography, UD
Affiliates
Assistant Professor, Applied Economics and Statistics, UD
Affiliates
Assistant Professor, Computer and Information Sciences and Delaware Biotechnology Institute, UD
Affiliates
Associate Professor and Chair, Physics and Engineering, DSU
Affiliates
Professor, Associate Dean of Research, Plant and Soil Sciences, UD
Department of Plant and Soil Sciences
University of Delaware
Affiliates
Professor, Plant and Soil Sciences, UD
Department of Plant and Soil Sciences
University of Delaware
Affiliates
Associate Professor, Computer and Information Sciences, DSU
Affiliates
Assistant Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, UD
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
University of Delaware
Affiliates
Professor, Plant and Soil Science, Associate Vice President, Research Office, UD
Department of Plant and Soil Sciences
University of Delaware
Affiliates
Associate Professor
Art Conservation
Affiliates
Professor Emeritus, Civil and Environmental Engineering, UD
University of Delaware
Affiliates
Senior Scientist, Hydrogeologist, Delaware Geological Survey, UD
Delaware Geological Survey
University of Delaware
Affiliates
Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, UD
Affiliates
Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, UD
Affiliates
Professor, Chemistry, and Associate Dean of Interdisciplinary/Collaborative Sponsored Research, Wesley College
Affiliates
Associate Scientist, Hydrogeologist, Delaware Geological Survey, UD
Affiliates
Donald C. Phillips Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UD
Affiliates, Council of Fellows
Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, UD
Affiliates
Professor, Plant and Soil Sciences, Director, Water Science and Policy Program, UD
Affiliates
Associate Professor, Plant and Soil Sciences, UD
Affiliates
Cornelius Tilghman Professor of English, UD
Affiliates
Associate Professor, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, UD
Affiliates
Professor, Plant and Soil Sciences, UD
Affiliates, Council of Fellows
Professor, Animal and Food Sciences, UD
Affiliates
Allan P. Colburn Professor and Chair, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, UD
Affiliates
Assistant Professor, Animal and Food Sciences, UD
Affiliates
Assistant Professor
School of Marine Science and Policy
Affiliates
Claire D. LeClaire Professor of Chemical Engineering, and Director, Center for Catalytic Science and Technology, UD
Affiliates
Maxwell P. and Mildred H. Harrington Professor of Oceanography, UD
Affiliates, Council of Fellows
Associate Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, UD
Affiliates
Associate Professor, Geological Sciences, and Hydrogeologist, Delaware Geological Survey, UD
Affiliates
Director DENIN, and Unidel Fraser Russell Chair for the Environment, Geological Sciences, UD
DENIN
Affiliates, Staff
Associate Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry, UD
Affiliates
Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and Director, W.M. Keck Advanced Microscopy Facility, UD
Affiliates
Professor, Agriculture and Natural Resources, DSU
Affiliates
Assistant Professor, Sociology and Criminal Justice, UD
Affiliates
Professor, Geological Sciences, UD
Affiliates
Emeritus Professor, Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, UD
Affiliates
Associate Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry, UD
Affiliates
Assistant Professor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Affiliates
Professor, Associate Dean of Research, Plant and Soil Sciences, UD
Department of Plant and Soil Sciences
University of Delaware
Affiliates
Associate Professor, Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, UD
Affiliates
Professor and Chair, Geological Sciences, UD
Affiliates, Council of Fellows
Director and State Geologist, Delaware Geological Survey, UD
Affiliates
Senior Scientist, Hydrogeologist, Delaware Geological Survey, UD
Delaware Geological Survey
University of Delaware
Affiliates
Associate Scientist Geologist, Delaware Geological Survey, UD
Affiliates
Graduate GIS Certificate Director and Associate Professor
Affiliates
Associate Scientist, Hydrogeologist, Delaware Geological Survey, UD
Affiliates
Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, UD
Affiliates
Professor, Plant and Soil Sciences, Director, Water Science and Policy Program, UD
Affiliates
Cornelius Tilghman Professor of English, UD
Affiliates
Senior Research Scientist, Stroud Water Research Center
Affiliates
Assistant Professor, School of Public Policy and Administration, and Director, Delaware Water Resources Center, Institute for Public Administration, UD
Affiliates
Hydrologist V - Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control
Advisory Board
Professor and Chair, Geography, UD
Affiliates
Associate Professor, Geological Sciences, UD
Affiliates
Associate Professor, Geological Sciences, and Hydrogeologist, Delaware Geological Survey, UD
Affiliates
Professor, Geological Sciences, and Senior Scientist, Delaware Geological Survey, UD
Affiliates
Director DENIN, and Unidel Fraser Russell Chair for the Environment, Geological Sciences, UD
DENIN
Affiliates, Staff
Professor, Agriculture and Natural Resources, DSU
Affiliates
Professor, Geological Sciences, and Scientist, Delaware Geological Survey, UD
Affiliates
Emeritus Professor, Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, UD
Affiliates
Associate Professor of Environmental Studies
Affiliates
Professor and Chair, Geological Sciences, UD
Affiliates, Council of Fellows
Associate Professor, Plant and Soil Sciences, UD
Affiliates
Assistant Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, UD
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
University of Delaware
Affiliates
Director and State Geologist, Delaware Geological Survey, UD
Affiliates
Senior Scientist, Hydrogeologist, Delaware Geological Survey, UD
Delaware Geological Survey
University of Delaware
Affiliates
Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, UD
Affiliates
Professor, Chemistry, and Associate Dean of Interdisciplinary/Collaborative Sponsored Research, Wesley College
Affiliates
Aquaculture and Fisheries Specialist, UD
Affiliates
Donald C. Phillips Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UD
Affiliates, Council of Fellows
Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, UD
Affiliates
Professor, Plant and Soil Sciences, Director, Water Science and Policy Program, UD
Affiliates
Associate Professor, Plant and Soil Sciences, UD
Affiliates
Cornelius Tilghman Professor of English, UD
Affiliates
Assistant Professor, Animal and Food Sciences, UD
Affiliates
Associate Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, UD
Affiliates
Professor, Agriculture and Natural Resources, DSU
Affiliates
Professor, Associate Dean of Research, Plant and Soil Sciences, UD
Department of Plant and Soil Sciences
University of Delaware
Affiliates
Professor, Plant and Soil Sciences, UD
Department of Plant and Soil Sciences
University of Delaware
Affiliates
Associate Professor, Plant and Soil Sciences, UD
Affiliates
Professor and Chair, Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, UD
Affiliates
Assistant Professor, Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, UD
Affiliates

Affiliates
Professor, Chemistry, and Associate Dean of Interdisciplinary/Collaborative Sponsored Research, Wesley College
Affiliates
Associate Professor, Plant and Soil Sciences, UD
Affiliates
Cornelius Tilghman Professor of English, UD
Affiliates
Professor, Agriculture and Natural Resources, and Director, Center for Integrated Biological and Environmental Research (CIBER), DSU
Affiliates
Professor, Animal and Food Sciences, and Chair, Biological Sciences, UD
Affiliates
Associate Professor, Computer and Information Sciences, DSU
Affiliates
Professor, Plant and Soil Science, Associate Vice President, Research Office, UD
Department of Plant and Soil Sciences
University of Delaware
Affiliates
Associate Professor
Art Conservation
Affiliates
Professor Emeritus, Civil and Environmental Engineering, UD
University of Delaware
Affiliates
Senior Scientist, Hydrogeologist, Delaware Geological Survey, UD
Delaware Geological Survey
University of Delaware
Affiliates
Distinguished Professor of Energy and Climate Policy and Director, Center for Energy and Environmental Policy, UD
Center for Energy and Environmental Policy
University of Delaware
Affiliates, Council of Fellows
Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, UD
Affiliates
Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, UD
Affiliates
Edward C. Davis Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, UD
Affiliates, Council of Fellows
Aquaculture and Fisheries Specialist, UD
Affiliates
Donald C. Phillips Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UD
Affiliates, Council of Fellows
Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, UD
Affiliates
Cornelius Tilghman Professor of English, UD
Affiliates
Associate Professor, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, UD
Affiliates
Professor, Plant and Soil Sciences, UD
Affiliates, Council of Fellows
Associate Professor Emerita, Political Science and International Relations, UD
Affiliates
Senior Research Scientist, Stroud Water Research Center
Affiliates
Assistant Professor, School of Public Policy and Administration, and Director, Delaware Water Resources Center, Institute for Public Administration, UD
Affiliates
Professor, Animal and Food Sciences, UD
Affiliates
Assistant Professor, Animal and Food Sciences, UD
Affiliates
Claire D. LeClaire Professor of Chemical Engineering, and Director, Center for Catalytic Science and Technology, UD
Affiliates
Associate Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, UD
Affiliates
Associate Professor, Geological Sciences, and Hydrogeologist, Delaware Geological Survey, UD
Affiliates
Unidel Howard Cosgrove Chair for the Environment and Director, Laboratory for Experimental & Applied Economics, UD
Affiliates
Associate Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry, UD
Affiliates
Emeritus Professor, Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, UD
Affiliates
Associate Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry, UD
Affiliates
Assistant Professor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Affiliates
Professor, Materials Science and Engineering, UD
Affiliates
Assistant Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, UD
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
University of Delaware
Affiliates