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At stations in Southern and Western Europe with a significant trend, the groundwater level is mostly decreasing (Figure 1). For Southern Europe, this is probably caused by 1) reduced groundwater recharge, increasing drought frequency and severity (Spinoni et al., 2017) and/or 2) seasonal over abstraction from groundwater resources (EEA, 2019). For Western Europe decreasing groundwater levels are probably caused by 1) relatively high use of groundwater resources and/or 2) reduced groundwater recharge due to intensive drainage of agricultural and expansion of urban areas (Hendriks et al., 2015). The decreasing groundwater levels lead to higher risks of degradation of biodiversity dependent on groundwater resources, such as wetlands, less productivity of crop yield, salt water intrusion, soil subsidence, and greenhouse gas emissions e.g. in peat areas. On the longer term, drinking water supply and water supply for industries (mainly food and beverage sector) may become limited.

Previous comments

  • scheidand (Andreas Scheidleder) 22 Oct 2021 13:46:36

    Comment from AT

    3rd sentence: increasing drought frequency and severity and reduced groundwater recharge due to changed precipitation patterns could also be the reasons for decreasing levels for Western Europe. Information on precipitation, temperature and evapotranspiration would be useful.
    Did the countries verify the reasons for the trends?
    Last sentence: Also associated aquatic ecosystems can be endangered.
    Water supply in general may become limited (for irrigation, too)

    • zalllnih (Nihat Zal) 26 Nov 2021 15:32:00

      Thank you for your comments. We agree that information about changed recharge pattern would be very useful for explaining the observed groundwater level trends. However, the scope of the indicator is limited only with informing the public on the changes of groundwater level.

      However, during this indicator assessment, a literature search was conducted, but very little country specific information was found. Hence, more detailed information about causes of groundwater level trends could not be provided.

      Based on your suggestions we edited this paragraph and included aquatic ecosystems and water supply for other purposes: “…. The decreasing groundwater levels lead to higher risks of degradation of biodiversity in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems dependent on groundwater resources, less productivity of crop yield, salt water intrusion, soil subsidence, water quality issues, and greenhouse gas emissions from peat areas. On the longer term, drinking water supply and water supply for agriculture and industries may become limited.”

      Comment from AT

      3rd sentence: increasing drought frequency and severity and reduced groundwater recharge due to changed precipitation patterns could also be the reasons for decreasing levels for Western Europe. Information on precipitation, temperature and evapotranspiration would be useful.
      Did the countries verify the reasons for the trends?
      Last sentence: Also associated aquatic ecosystems can be endangered.
      Water supply in general may become limited (for irrigation, too)

       

  • bednamal (Malgorzata Bednarek) 22 Oct 2021 16:18:26

    POLAND

    Conclusions should be made once again after recalculation.

    • zalllnih (Nihat Zal) 26 Nov 2021 15:32:39

      Thank you for your comment. We have adjusted the conclusions after updating the indicator dataset by removing the monitoring stations from Poland. Once new or improved data are received, the conclusions will be updated again. As describe in the “supporting information” section, the frequency of dissemination is set at once every 2 years, depending on the data availability.

      POLAND

      Conclusions should be made once again after recalculation.

       

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