Global depletion of groundwater resources

Wada, Yoshihide; Beek, L. P. H. van; Kempen, Cheryl M. van; Reckman, Josef W. T. M.; Vasak, Slavek; Bierkens, Marc F. P.

doi:10.1029/2010gl044571

Cited by 1,651 publications

(1,224 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…Managing groundwater resources sustainably is therefore a major global social and economic priority (Glazer and Likens, 2012). Whilst about 40 % of global groundwater abstraction occurs in these regions, the scarcity of rain means that only 2 % of groundwater recharge occurs there (Wada et al, 2010). Water is increasingly becoming a geopolitical and strategic resource.…”

Section: Eamus Et Al: Groundwater-dependent Ecosystems: Recent Inmentioning

confidence: 99%

Groundwater-dependent ecosystems: recent insights from satellite and field-based studies

Eamus

Zolfaghar

Villalobos‐Vega

et al. 2015

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

132

112

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Abstract. Groundwater-dependent ecosystems (GDEs) are at risk globally due to unsustainable levels of groundwater extraction, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. In this review, we examine recent developments in the ecohydrology of GDEs with a focus on three knowledge gaps: (1) how do we locate GDEs, (2) how much water is transpired from shallow aquifers by GDEs and (3) what are the responses of GDEs to excessive groundwater extraction? The answers to these questions will determine water allocations that are required to sustain functioning of GDEs and to guide regulations on groundwater extraction to avoid negative impacts on GDEs.We discuss three methods for identifying GDEs: (1) techniques relying on remotely sensed information; (2) fluctuations in depth-to-groundwater that are associated with diurnal variations in transpiration; and (3) stable isotope analysis of water sources in the transpiration stream.We then discuss several methods for estimating rates of GW use, including direct measurement using sapflux or eddy covariance technologies, estimation of a climate wetness index within a Budyko framework, spatial distribution of evapotranspiration (ET) using remote sensing, groundwater modelling and stable isotopes. Remote sensing methods often rely on direct measurements to calibrate the relationship between vegetation indices and ET. ET from GDEs is also determined using hydrologic models of varying complexity, from the White method to fully coupled, variable saturation models. Combinations of methods are typically employed to obtain clearer insight into the components of groundwater discharge in GDEs, such as the proportional importance of transpiration versus evaporation (e.g. using stable isotopes) or from groundwater versus rainwater sources.Groundwater extraction can have severe consequences for the structure and function of GDEs. In the most extreme cases, phreatophytes experience crown dieback and death following groundwater drawdown. We provide a brief review of two case studies of the impacts of GW extraction and then provide an ecosystem-scale, multiple trait, integrated metric of the impact of differences in groundwater depth on the structure and function of eucalypt forests growing along a natural gradient in depth-to-groundwater. We conclude with a discussion of a depth-to-groundwater threshold in this mesic GDE. Beyond this threshold, significant changes occur in ecosystem structure and function.

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Section: Eamus Et Al: Groundwater-dependent Ecosystems: Recent Inmentioning

confidence: 99%

Groundwater-dependent ecosystems: recent insights from satellite and field-based studies

Eamus

Zolfaghar

Villalobos‐Vega

et al. 2015

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

132

112

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…However, groundwater extractions currently exceed recharge by up to a factor of 10 in some areas, resulting in depletion of storage mostly in the central and southern High Plains. Depletion has averaged 5.7 km 3 yr À1 since irrigation development began in the 1950s [Scanlon et al, 2012], making the High Plains a globally significant hotspot of groundwater depletion [Wada et al, 2010].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential climate change effects on groundwater recharge in the High Plains Aquifer, USA

Crosbie

Scanlon

Mpelasoka

et al. 2013

Water Resources Research

181

142

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[1] Considering that past climate changes have significantly impacted groundwater resources, quantitative predictions of climate change effects on groundwater recharge may be valuable for effective management of future water resources. This study used 16 global climate models (GCMs) and three global warming scenarios to investigate changes in groundwater recharge rates for a 2050 climate relative to a 1990 climate in the U.S. High Plains region. Groundwater recharge was modeled using the Soil-Vegetation-AtmosphereTransfer model WAVES for a variety of soil and vegetation types representative of the High Plains. The median projection under a 2050 climate includes increased recharge in the Northern High Plains (þ8%), a slight decrease in the Central High Plains (À3%), and a larger decrease in the Southern High Plains (À10%), amplifying the current spatial trend in recharge from north to south. There is considerable uncertainty in both the magnitude and direction of these changes in recharge projections. Predicted changes in recharge between dry and wet future climate scenarios encompass both an increase and decrease in recharge rates, with the magnitude of this range greater than 50% of current recharge. On a proportional basis, sensitivity of recharge to changes in rainfall indicates that areas with high current recharge rates are least sensitive to change in rainfall and vice versa. Sensitivity analyses indicate an amplification of change in recharge compared to change in rainfall, and this amplification is in the range of 1-6 with an average of 2.5-3.5 depending upon the global warming scenario.

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“…Thus changes in the temporal distribution of the precipitation could have a large impact, and are important to consider when doing impact studies. Additionally, the analysis of aquifers, exploited to meet the water demand can help to classify the importance of water abstractions (Wada et al, 2010), and compare them with the groundwater drawdowns introduced by meteorological causes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

What can we learn from long-term groundwater data to improve climate change impact studies?

Stoll

Franssen

Barthel

et al. 2011

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

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Abstract. Future risks for groundwater resources, due to global change are usually analyzed by driving hydrological models with the outputs of climate models. However, this model chain is subject to considerable uncertainties. Given the high uncertainties it is essential to identify the processes governing the groundwater dynamics, as these processes are likely to affect groundwater resources in the future, too. Information about the dominant mechanisms can be achieved by the analysis of long-term data, which are assumed to provide insight in the reaction of groundwater resources to changing conditions (weather, land use, water demand). Referring to this, a dataset of 30 long-term time series of precipitation dominated groundwater systems in northern Switzerland and southern Germany is collected. In order to receive additional information the analysis of the data is carried out together with hydrological model simulations. High spatio-temporal correlations, even over large distances could be detected and are assumed to be related to large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns. As a result it is suggested to prefer innovative weather-type-based downscaling methods to other stochastic downscaling approaches. In addition, with the help of a qualitative procedure to distinguish between meteorological and anthropogenic causes it was possible to identify processes which dominated the groundwater dynamics in the past. It could be shown that besides the meteorological conditions, land use changes, pumping activity and feedback mechanisms governed the groundwater dynamics. Based on these findings, recommendations to improve climate change impact studies are suggested.

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Global depletion of groundwater resources

Cited by 1,651 publications

References 31 publications

Groundwater-dependent ecosystems: recent insights from satellite and field-based studies

Groundwater-dependent ecosystems: recent insights from satellite and field-based studies

Potential climate change effects on groundwater recharge in the High Plains Aquifer, USA

What can we learn from long-term groundwater data to improve climate change impact studies?

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