2. Groundwater from Global Perspective
Groundwater makes up more than 95% of the unfrozen freshwater
reserves on our planet.
Current GW abstraction is estimated to be ca 1,000 km3 per year, of
which about 67% is used for irrigation, 22% for domestic purposes and
11% for industry (IGRAC, 2010).
Current GW abstraction
represents approximately
26% of total freshwater
withdrawal globally
(WWDR, 2012).
Groundwater supplies almost
half of all drinking water in the
world (WWDR, 2009) and
43% of the global consumptive use in irrigation (Siebert et al., 2010).
3. Groundwater from Global Perspective
Groundwater is often a possible
solution for the people without
access to safe drinking water (1 in
6 worldwide).
Groundwater also provides
strength to soil matrix and
prevents sea water intrusion.
Strong regeneration and buffering
characteristics of groundwater
systems are of great importance in
sustaining groundwater fed
wetlands and vegetation
and it is a baseflow to rivers.
4. Groundwater from Global Perspective
Although groundwater is often seen as a local resource, its use and
protection have a global impact. In a modern world, a flow of goods
is also the flow of (ground)water used for their production.
Global change,
population growth
and climate
variability are
increasing the
pressure on
groundwater
resources
global groundwater consumption per sector
This requires worldwide exchange of information and knowledge and
a regular assessment and monitoring on regional/ global scale.
5. Groundwater from Global Perspective
World Bank
Asian Development Bank
Organization of American States
US State Department
European Union, AMCOW
UNESCO, WMO, WRI…
6. Groundwater from Global Perspective
IGRAC - International Groundwater Resource Assessment
Centre is (since 2003) UNESCO and WMO groundwater centre
IGRAC facilitates and promotes global sharing of information
and knowledge required for sustainable groundwater resources
development and management
Focused on information and
knowledge management,
transboundary aquifer assessment
and groundwater monitoring
Receives financial support from the
Government of The Netherlands
In-house partner of UNESCO-IHE in Delft, The Netherlands
8. Internationally Shared Aquifers
The fact: many aquifers cross the political borders
Potential cross-boundary problems: changes
in groundwater flows, levels, volumes
(quantity) and dissolved
substances (quality).
Actions: aquifer
characterisation and an
appropriate management.
Benefits: eliminating
potential sources of conflict
and improving the overall
benefit from groundwater.
10. Internationally Shared Aquifers
People Networks make up the core of appropriate assessment
ad management of internationally shared groundwaters.
11. Internationally Shared Aquifers
People Networks need common, interactive tools for the
assessment: a Global TBA Information System
12. Global Groundwater Assessment
Regular contribution to the World Water Development
Report (WWDR) as an orderly insight into the state of global
groundwater resources
providing information - building the groundwater case
13. Global Groundwater Assessment
Groundwater salinity worldwide, including drivers, dynamics,
risks and opportunities, prevention and mitigation measures
providing information - building the groundwater case
14. Global Groundwater Assessment
Global Inventory of MAR - Managing Aquifer Recharge
Assessment of Arsenic and
Fluoride worldwide
providing information - building the groundwater case
15. Groundwater in the Changing World
Potential climate risks for groundwater include:
reduced groundwater recharge,
sea water intrusion to coastal aquifers,
contraction of freshwater lenses on small islands,
increased demand.
Groundwater can also be affected by
non-climatic drivers, such as:
population growth,
food demand
land use change.
GW management needs to consider both climatic and
non-climatic risks in a conjunctive manner
16. Groundwater and Climate Change
“groundwater is the major source of drinking
water across much of the world… but there has
been very little research on the potential effects
of climate change”.
Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in both their 3rd (2001)
and 4th (2007) Assessment Reports
17. Groundwater and Climate Change
Climate change impacts on long-term average groundwater recharge
(renewable groundwater resources) Döll and Flörke (2005)
18. Data, Models and Predictions
Global hydrological models continue to
employ simplistic characterisations of
groundwater systems due, in part, to the
absence of global or continental-scale
datasets to test or tune these models.
There is a concern over overvaluation of
proxy information used in the models as a
consequence of lack of sufficient
monitoring datasets.
Satellite monitoring of changes in total
water storage under the Gravity Recovery
and Climate Experiment (GRACE) brings
valuable insight but also has clear
limitations
19. Global Groundwater Monitoring Network
GGMN a participative, web-based network of networks, containing
measurements and aggregated estimations
20. Groundwater in the Changing World
‘The trouble with our times is
that the future is not
what it used to be’
Paul Valery (1871 - 1945)
21. Groundwater in the Changing World
serious gaming
hydro-economic modeling
changing management
22. Closing Remarks
Climate change and human impact on
groundwater resources does not stop at the
country borders;
There is clear need for the improvement of
groundwater monitoring networks required
for better understanding and management
of groundwater systems;
IGRAC facilitates a global flow of
information – to improve its quality
(monitoring) and accessibility (cooperation);
Building a case for invisible groundwater,
promoting a participative approach (people
factor: it is all about emotions).
23. Thank you for your attention
United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization
World Meteorological
Organization
Government of
The Netherlands
