Understanding Global Groundwater: Climate Change and Water Extraction.DE -Ndehedehe, Christopher

This book offers insight into the status of global groundwater, detailing the threats posed by unsustainable water extraction practices and the ongoing challenges of climate change. At its core, the book discusses the dilemma of groundwater depletion: while necessary for socio-economic development and the improvement of livelihoods, over-extraction poses severe environmental and ecological risks. As global aquifers are rapidly depleting, the book highlights the urgent need for advanced groundwater monitoring to enhance knowledge of key hydrological processes (e.g., recharge and discharge) and inform better management practices and policies. A central theme of this book is the importance of using advanced satellite hydrology missions to improve groundwater monitoring. By leveraging cutting-edge technology that combines radar, Global Navigation Satellite Systems, and the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission with climate data (e.g., rainfall, evapotranspiration, etc.), we can better understand the dynamics of groundwater systems and develop strategies to manage them sustainably. The transgression of Earth system boundaries, particularly in the context of climate and freshwater, underscores the critical need for action, as approximately 2.6 billion people depend on groundwater in regions where surface water is insufficient. The book discusses the concept of groundwater drought, examining how this phenomenon can be measured and robustly monitored. It introduces innovative approaches to enhance the spatial resolution of satellite data, particularly from the GRACE mission through machine learning downscaling, to provide more accurate local assessments of groundwater drought. Case studies demonstrate how GRACE satellite data can be combined with climate data to enhance understanding of the complex interplay between climate variability and groundwater resources. Emerging techniques and methods to assess groundwater resources and the impacts of drought on groundwater variability and availability are evaluated. Another unique aspect of this book is its discussion of the co-management of freshwater resources, underpinned by satellite-based assessments of groundwater status. By integrating traditional knowledge with modern remote sensing techniques, the book outlines how sustainable practices can be developed to ensure the long-term health of groundwater systems. It details the need for a service application for groundwater drought monitoring that enhances our capability to predict and identify potential groundwater drought locations. By bridging the gap between traditional groundwater research and cutting-edge satellite Earth observation techniques, this book offers readers essential insights into the dynamics of global groundwater in an era of climate uncertainty and rising human population. This book is expected to be invaluable resource for anyone seeking to understand the risks and transformations necessary to safeguard groundwater for future generations.