Climate change impacts on groundwater use-impacts and action needs

The results of regional climate projections for Germany show an increase in mean air temperature and an intra-annual shift in precipitation-with wetter winters and drier summers. Additionally, the frequency, intensity, and duration of heat waves, dry periods, and heavy rainfall events will increase regionally. These changes will also alter the annual distribution of groundwater recharge. As a result, high, mean, and low groundwater levels, the extent of groundwater level fluctuations, and available groundwater resources may change. However, it is not only the resource that is affected by climate change impacts. The entire infrastructure-from production to the service line to the customer-can also be affected by these impacts. In addition to direct influences, indirect influences are also possible through cascading effects-for example from the energy sector. Therefore, integrative, holistic, and systemic solutions have to be developed in order to guarantee the functionality of the critical infrastructure in the long term and with consideration of climate change impacts.