Groundwater abstractions

Groundwater abstractions

01. Water abstractions

General description

Groundwater over-abstraction can lead to decline in groundwater levels within aquifers and drying up or causing severe flow reduction in rivers. Surface seepage from aquifers supports groundwater-fed ecosystems such as wetlands and springs. Riparian vegetation affected by declining phreatic levels rapidly shows signs of water stress, leading in extreme cases to widespread riparian plant death.

Effect/Impact on (including literature citations)

• HYMO (general and specified per HYMO element)

While surface water abstractions directly affect river flows, groundwater abstractions (both from shallow and deep aquifers) indirectly lower the discharge of streams and rivers, thereby decreasing the flow velocity and water depth in these water bodies. Acreman et al. (2000) stated that large groundwater abstractions have a detrimental effect on rivers and wetlands. Additionally, status assessments of groundwater bodies in Denmark (Fyn region) and Scotland (East Lothian area), have shown reductions in base flow by 11% and 52%, respectively, due to groundwater abstractions (Henriksen et al., 2007; Ward and Fitzsimons, 2008).

Groundwater abstractions for irrigation can pose significant risks to groundwater conditions, and hence baseflow (Taylor et al., 2012). For example, in two sandy lowland catchments in the Netherlands, groundwater abstractions have caused a base flow reduction of 5-28% (Hendriks et al., in review), even though the density of groundwater abstraction points for spray irrigation in these catchments is relatively low compared to some sandy catchments in the province of Noord-Brabant that show stream discharge reductions of 22% to 56% due to intensive spray irrigation (> 6 irrigation points per km 2 ) (De Louw, 2000). Importantly, since spray irrigation occurs mainly during the summer growing season, it mostly affects groundwater levels and stream discharge during naturally low flow periods when water availability in streams is crucial for aquatic life.

• physico - chemical parameters
• Biota (general and specified per Biological quality elements)

Case studies where this pressure is present

• Tordera_-_Restoration_of_a_secondary_channel_of_the_Tordera_River
• Stream_-mending_the_Avon
• Chícamo_Life_project._Conservation_of_Aphanius_iberus´_genetics_stocks_(_Murcia_).
• Lower_Traun
• Thur_
• Töss

Possible restoration, rehabilitation and mitigation measures

• Improve water retention
• Recycle used water
• Reduce groundwater extraction
• Improve/Create water storage
• Reduce water consumption

Useful references

Custodio, E. 2001. Aquifer overexploitation: what does it mean? Hydrogeology Journal, 10:254–277.
Sousa A.,García-Murillo P., Morales J. and García-Barrón L. 2009.Anthropogenic and natural effects on the coastal lagoons in the southwest of Spain (Doñana National Park). ICES Journal of Marine Science, 66 (7), 1508-1514.
Suso J. and M.R Llamas. 1993. Influence of groundwater develop-ment on the Doñana National Park ecosystems (Spain). Journal of Hydrology, 141, 239-269.
Sousa A.,García-Murillo P., Morales J. and García-Barrón L. 2009.Anthropogenic and natural effects on the coastal lagoons in the southwest of Spain (Doñana National Park). ICES Journal of Marine Science, 66 (7), 1508-1514.
Trick T and E. Custodio. 2004. Hydrodynamic characteristics of the western Doñana Region (area of El Abalario), Huelva, Spain.Hydrogeology Journal, 12:321–335.
Tularam, G. A. and M. Krishna, 2009. Long Term Consequences of Groundwater Pumping in Australia: A Review OfImpacts Around The Globe.Journal of Applied Sciences in Environmental Sanitation, 4 (2): 151-166.