1. 28 november 2018
Workshop “Climate Change Impacts on Groundwater” Summary, outcomes and way forward Hans Peter Broers, Johannes Grath
Groundwater aspects in the Guidance No.24 on River Basin Management in a Changing Climate (Klaus Hinsby/Hans Peter Broers/Ronald Kozel/Elisabetta Prezioso)
which issues which are not covered with respect to groundwater?
What issues should be taken into account in RBMP’s
Organizing team of the workshop:
Hans Peter Broers (Eurogeosurveys)
Elisabetta Preziosi (IRSA-CNR, Italy)
Klaus Hinsby (Geus, Denmark)
Ronald Kozel (Bafu, Switzerland)
Sophie Vermooten (Deltares,the Netherlands)

2. Ad hoc task GW and CC Overall objective (WG C mandate)
To make a WGC contribution to horizontal issues, specifically on climate change effects on GW
expected pressures and impacts
consideration in RBMPs (make them climate resilient)
input to EG on Climate Change and Water.
Activity on an ad-hoc basis
need a previous approval by the Water Directors and discussions with other WGs where needed.

3. Structure of the activity
One or two workshops (2011, 2012)
2011 workshop endorsed by Water Directors
2012 workshop decided after results of first workshop
Interaction with CIS Expert Group on Climate Change and Water
Bridge between science and policy
Presentations of scientific results (e.g. Genesis, WATCH, Aquaterra)
Presentations on policy requirements by MS
Presentations on best practices in RBMP’s by MS
Recommendations for RBMP’s
Programme of measures
Monitoring
Protected areas
Workshop reports with key issues and outcomes of the workshops
discussed at the WGC meetings following the workshops.

4. What do we actually know (better …)
28 November 2018 5

5. CC impacts are potentially everywhere
Control
Future
Dryer summers Netherlands
Evidence that CC affects GW all over Europe, but with very different effects
S-Europe: overall decreasing trend in recharge
W, Central, Alps and N Europe:
Changes is seasonal regimes => water scarcity in summers
Snow melt earlier in the year Sweden, Alps
Dryer summers western europe
Length of recharge season
Changes in land use to adapt to those changes
Alps
Other seasonal regimes Sweden

6. Secondary impacts count
28 november 2018
Secondary impacts count
Pressures on groundwater systems tend to increase,
Primary effects of climate change
associated human induced changes of surface and subsurface water management (= secondary effects)
Secondary impacts are expected to have the largest short-term effects on groundwater resources.
increase of water demands and abstractions of groundwater for irrigation
water scarcity in summers
Land use change may affect groundwater recharge and quality
Energy policy (heat storage, CO2 storage, biofuels) 7

7. What we now know Is the results of research that started 5-7 years ago
Is useful to feed the research results in the policy process
Recommendations to make water management plans waterproof / CC proof
Technical note on workshop results
Workshop to define recommendations

8. Key conclusions from 1st workshop 1-5
A substantial quantity of research has been completed or is under development at both the EU and MS and regional level …..
Climate change affects groundwater all over Europe, but with very different effects in different regions. …..
Secondary impacts count. Secondary impacts of CC - which are mainly human induced changes of surface and subsurface management in reaction to CC – are expected to have the largest short-term effects on groundwater resources. …..
Pressures on groundwater increase because of increased competition for the resource for irrigation, drinking water and energy use (storage of heat, CO2 etc.). …..
Changes in seasonal climatic regimes may lead to water scarcity in summers, due to dryer summers and prolonged droughts in western and eastern Europe and by earlier snow melt which leads to low surface flows in summer and autumn in Northern Europe and the Alps. ….
28 November 2018

9. Key conclusions from 1st workshop 6 -10
6. Changes in seasonal regimes may also lead to the use of different crops in agriculture, for example by allowing for a longer growing season in northern Europe. ….. 7. Changes in seasonal regimes, overall reduction of groundwater recharge, sea level rise and overexploitation of resources will all promote salt water intrusion ….. 8. Groundwater can play a mitigating role for global change induced water scarcity by providing baseflow in dry periods, but the management of groundwater must be sustainable to ensure overexploitation does not impact on this mitigating role. 9. Recent EU wide research pays much attention to the uncertainties in CC predictions, and good descriptions of uncertainties are an established part of CC scenario studies and hydrological models. …… 10. In the context of uncertainty, it is essential that monitoring is taking place to allow the type and scale of adaptation response to be adjusted according to the level of climate (and socio-economic) change actually experienced. ……
28 November 2018

10. Technical note on outcomes of first workshop Submitted to SCG
10 key conclusions
3 recommendations
Knowledge gaps
6 areas identified
Recommendation and request to SCG and WD:
Support a second workshop dedicated to feed the established knowledge base on CC impacts on groundwater (quality and quantity) into the policy process, by providing concrete recommendations to make river basin management plans CC proof.
28 November 2018

11. Topics to discuss in October (groupwise) (first proposal)
Management options: (program of measures)
Conjunctive use groundwater / surface water
Water pricing
Strategic resource management
Aquifer Storage and recovery
Monitoring strategies
Historical records
Future time series wells, springs
Protected areas
DWPA strategies; safeguarding public supply
CC effects on GWDTE and aquatic ecosystems
Agriculture demands and groundwater resources
Risks for overexploitation
New crops, land use change

12. Summary: Second workshop autumn 2012
Aim: to make recommendations for climate resilient river basin management plans
Recommendations on:
programme of measures
monitoring setup
management of protected areas,
both drinking water protected areas and protected nature reserves with groundwater dependent ecosystems.
Different set-up: discussion in small groups heading for concrete recommendations
Request to SCG for endorsement of 2nd Workshop as outlined and forwarding to Water Directors with request for approval