The changing nature of groundwater in the global water cycle

TLDR

Climate change and human activities are reshaping groundwater systems worldwide, altering recharge, discharge, flow, storage, and distribution, and making groundwater’s role in the global water cycle increasingly dynamic and complex. The study aims to quantify these changes to support sustainable management of freshwater groundwater resources for people and ecosystems.

Abstract

In recent decades, climate change and other anthropogenic activities have substantially affected groundwater systems worldwide. These impacts include changes in groundwater recharge, discharge, flow, storage, and distribution. Climate-induced shifts are evident in altered recharge rates, greater groundwater contribution to streamflow in glacierized catchments, and enhanced groundwater flow in permafrost areas. Direct anthropogenic changes include groundwater withdrawal and injection, regional flow regime modification, water table and storage alterations, and redistribution of embedded groundwater in foods globally. Notably, groundwater extraction contributes to sea level rise, increasing the risk of groundwater inundation in coastal areas. The role of groundwater in the global water cycle is becoming more dynamic and complex. Quantifying these changes is essential to ensure sustainable supply of fresh groundwater resources for people and ecosystems.