Towards a sustainable and resilient water supply in Sweden: Holistic solutions to groundwater drought and water scarcity
Short description
Water is vital for people and ecosystems. Although there is a lot of water on Earth, it is unevenly distributed in time and space. Groundwater is an important freshwater resource, but its availability varies. In areas with large aquifers, storage can be long-term, while small aquifers have limited and short-term availability. This research project investigates groundwater scarcity in Sweden. Where and when do groundwater shortages occur? What factors play a role? How often and to what extent will groundwater shortages occur in different regions of Sweden under future climate conditions? These are some of the questions the study will answer.
Background
Groundwater is an important, invisible resource for our drinking water. In 80% of Sweden's municipalities, drinking water comes from groundwater. In addition, there are around 600 000 private wells that supply water to permanent residents, holiday homes, agriculture and industry. Recently, persistently low groundwater levels have become more common and the situation is expected to worsen in a warmer climate. This poses major challenges for water supply.
The aim of the study
The study examines groundwater scarcity in a scientific, systematic and holistic way with the aim of creating a knowledge base on water scarcity. This is intended to be used for sustainable water resource management in Sweden.
The research project seeks answers to when and where droughts have most affected, for example, agriculture, forestry and groundwater-dependent ecosystems. The aim is to get a comprehensive picture of the phenomenon of groundwater scarcity in Sweden. This will enable authorities, municipalities and users to prevent water scarcity and plan for sustainable use of water resources.
The approach
In this study, we will investigate drought and water scarcity at different spatial and temporal scales and in different components of the hydrological cycle, as well as the effects of drought on people and nature. By integrating time series analysis, multivariate analysis, machine learning, with interviews and surveys among stakeholders, the extent of drought in nature will be investigated.
