In large sedimentary basins surrounded by mountainous glaciers, mountainous runoff feeding the basin increases as a consequence of enhanced glacier melting. In this context, it woud be useful to assessing this effect if groundwater regime is monitored in regions that are affected, in particular, the alluvial fans.
This qestion intends to stimulate a discussion on this by collecting examples and datasets from different regions to achieve a common understading of the issue.
A group of international experts conducted a study that found that global warming affects ground water, thus creating a "time bomb".
It is specified that in their work, the experts analyzed data on groundwater, which is a major source of fresh water. Scientists have developed a computer model that can track the response of groundwater to climate change. Their replenishment is due to atmospheric precipitation, and interaction with the climate and surface waters can lead to unpredictable consequences in hundreds of years due to global warming.
According to studies by GRACE saterlites, groundwater at the foreland of the mountains increases as the glacers melt away from the upper hill. Does anyone out there have data to share on this? Either in the glacers or the groundwater regime.
Global warming has two impacts on groundwater, one negative and the other positive.
Hi, Israa,
I guess you are right. But could you please provide a bit more details about it?
Regards.
I think that one of the impacts of global warming is the temparature increase on the earth's surface, that leads to the shallowest waters to the evaporation and decreased freatic level in groundwater that's mean complications fot the acces to this waters.
Hi, Manuela,
Thank you answering my question.
You are right, increased evapotranporation is one the effects caused by blobal warming. A recent publication shows that a warmer climate increases evaporative demand. However, response to warming depends on water availability.
For more details please read the following paper:
Condon, et al., 2020, Evapotranspiration depletes groundwater under
warming over the contiguous United States,Nature Communications,Article Evapotranspiration depletes groundwater under warming over t...
You can find the difference between the impacts on an arid land or a temperate region, where there is a connection to shallow groundwater that supplies soil moisture.
Pl have a look at the following link:
Article Climate Change and Its Impact on Groundwater Resources
You may see the link below:
https://rmets.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/met.1578
Hi, Harasit,
Thank you for providing one review and one methodology articles. They are very useful.
Good luck to you.
I would assume as our climatic conditions change so will our underground water systems. I'm just thinking having too much water and having nothing from a point of view that in some places were are expecting increase in rainfall, while in others, places will dry up. Our water use pattern of crop are expected to change, some normal crops might now become more water hungry crops, exhausting the water sources. Under others, contamination will be serious!
Hi, Patrick,
You are right in assuming the even more uneven occurrence of water availability at different scale, as a conquence of change in global moisture circulation pattern. It is an interesting point to make about the change in water demand of crops as relative to cliame change.
Thanks and good luck with your study.
Pl have a look at the following links.
https://www.nature.com/articles/nclimate1744
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-23576-9_5
Dear Dr. Pang,
As you know, the problem of climate change is really complex and confusing. In one side we have the excessive production and pollution of carbon dioxide and the change in the precipitation regimes such that in some parts of the world we see the occurrence of hurricanes and floods and in the other side we see long term droughts and the lack of rainfalls.
In the other side the misuse in groundwater extraction in many regions warn us to the end of sweetwater resources and maybe the occurrence of wars between nations because of water resources shortage in near future instead of current conflicts for fossil fuel resources.
That's a main point in this regard, I think.
Dear Rahim,
You are right in mentioning the extreeme climatic events, causing floods and droughts, which seems to be a negative consequence of global warming. However, warmer weather enhances the water cycle on Earth in general terms, a positive effect, because it is likely that man has more water to use.
How to turn the conquences of global warming from a negative into a positive one. The key, I believe, it a more proper use of groundwater. Groundwater is the largest storage on Earth of usable freshwater resources for the mankind. In principle, global warming will enhance water cycle but may not the recharge of groundwater, the scale of the resources, due to unevent precipitation. Therefore, the key to improved understanding of global warming impact is the improved understanding of groundwater recharge.
Better knowlege of grounwater recharge supports better groundwater management approaches, so more usable freshwater can be made available.
Cheers!
Take a look at the following RG links.
Article Assessing the Impact of Climate Change on Groundwater Resources
Article Potential impacts of climate change on groundwater resources...
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.carbonbrief.org/climate-change-impact-groundwater-environmental-timebomb/amp
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Geoscience
- Atmospheric Sciences
- Climate Science
- Climate Change