ABSTRACT
C o astal a q u ifer s in arid climates constitute important sources of fresh water. Many coastal areas in the world have become heavily urbanized due to population growth. As a result coastal aquifers have been sub jected to additional stresses due to increasing water demand. Many groundwater development projects in coastal aquifers have proven to be neither sustainable nor environmentally acceptable because of im proper groundwater management. The proximity of seawater, along with overexploitation and irrational use of groundwater in coastal aqui fers, contributes to continuing decline of water head and gradual deteri oration of water quality. Saltwater intrusion into coastal aquifers forms the major constraint for profitable aquifer exploitation.
