A high-resolution global-scale groundwater model

A high-resolution global-scale groundwater model "Groundwater is a crucial part of the global water cycle. It is the world’s largest accessible source of fresh water and plays a vital role in satisfying basic needs of human society.

During times of drought stored groundwater provides a buffer against water shortage and sustains baseflow to rivers and wetlands, thereby supporting ecosystems and biodiversity. However, in many parts of the world groundwater is abstracted at rates that exceed groundwater recharge, causing groundwater levels to drop while baseflow to rivers is no longer sustained."

"Most global-scale hydrological models (GHMs) do not include a groundwater flow component, mainly due to lack of geohydrological data at the global scale." However, the new research presented in the#openaccess journal, Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, seeks to address this problem by creating a new model which takes into consideration groundwater flow. By using this novel approach, the scientists have been able to show that modelling of lateral groundwater flow in GHMs is crucial.

To read more on this research and to get your own copy of the paper:egu.eu/55TGB7