ClimEx-PE / Climate extremes buffering through groundwater flow-based managed aquifer recharge and public engagement
Mitigating the impact of extreme hydrological events and ensuring safe water supply for humanity
and ecosystems is one of the greatest challenges of our time. The main water reserves are in the
aquifers, as groundwater. The connection of groundwater to surface water bodies and ecosystems
makes these reserves vulnerable to extreme events, but in this context, general knowledge of
groundwater is very limited. Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) is an engineering approach to the
intentional recharge of aquifers. The approach proposed by the group considers groundwater flow
systems in MAR techniques providing a new nature-based MAR approach (NB-MAR) which can play a
future role in the mitigation of extreme climate events. The research intends to display: 1) the
influence of natural extremes on groundwater, 2) the application of NB-MAR to buffer climate events,
3) the impacts on groundwater quantity/quality, 4) the workflow for the involvement of the NB-MAR
in society engagement, communication, education, 5) the consideration of groundwater flow systemsand their replenishment with excess water in decision-making, 6) the integration of NB-MAR to
water policies and develop a sustainable regulatory environment. These goals can improve water
management, resilience, security and contribute to human rights. The project handles groundwater
flow systems as the critical missing element of better water management. Different flow systems
are naturally buffered against drought and flood. We propose to use the natural differences to
balance drought and flood by NB-MAR methods through water replenishment. The project aims to
have an impact on multidisciplinary fields. (I) Natural scientific field: it produces datasets, models,
recommendations to disentangle i) trends of climate-hydrological extremes, ii) their impact on
groundwater bodies, iii) the climate buffering role of groundwater flow systems, its better
exploitation. iv) Generation of knowledge on the buffering capacity of aquifers. v) Returning to
society: a) monitoring tools for indicators; b) open access guides, events on buffering capacity of
groundwater flow and NB-MARs; c) a decision support system. (II) Socio-legal field: the project aims i)
to elaborate materials that inform future NB-MAR projects to support the goals of local/regional
sustainable water management; ii) to develop duration guidelines by the cooperation of scientists,
communication and educational experts using evidence-based assessment of efficiency; iii) to
produce a) a scientific publication on the stakeholder value propositions for NB-MAR solutions, b) a
briefing document for policymakers with communication guidelines for NB-MAR solutions, c) digital,
customizable communication packages; iv) to create a method to integrate environmental,
agricultural, industrial, and public service provision policies on water. The proposal connects to
Themes III, VII, V; Topics 1,2,3. Mostly it connects to Theme III, addressing knowledge gaps by
involving groundwater flow systems in understanding the connection between groundwater, surface
water bodies and extreme events, the management of water schemes and the recharge of aquifers
(1.1) It develops an innovative understanding of how underground flow influences the
quality/quantity of water processes (1.2) It proposes a nature-based water replenishment approach
and intends to create a new methodology regarding groundwater's buffering role (Topic 2.2). It
proposes a governance model (Theme VII) based on dashboard indicators to reduce vulnerability to
extreme events (3.1), to reach more efficient citizen and stakeholder awareness and support the
proposed strategy for mitigation and adaptation to hydroclimatic events (Topic 2.1). The dashboard
can apply to transboundary water resources and help in water diplomacy (Topic 1.3, 3.2). In terms of
infrastructure (Theme V), the results help decision-makers reveal necessary adaptation steps to
mitigate water infrastructure resilience
Mitigating the impact of extreme hydrological events and ensuring safe water supply for humanity
and ecosystems is one of the greatest challenges of our time. The main water reserves are in the
aquifers, as groundwater. The connection of groundwater to surface water bodies and ecosystems
makes these reserves vulnerable to extreme events, but in this context, general knowledge of
groundwater is very limited. Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) is an engineering approach to the
intentional recharge of aquifers. The approach proposed by the group considers groundwater flow
systems in MAR techniques providing a new nature-based MAR approach (NB-MAR) which can play a
future role in the mitigation of extreme climate events. The research intends to display: 1) the
influence of natural extremes on groundwater, 2) the application of NB-MAR to buffer climate events,
3) the impacts on groundwater quantity/quality, 4) the workflow for the involvement of the NB-MAR
in society engagement, communication, education, 5) the consideration of groundwater flow systemsand their replenishment with excess water in decision-making, 6) the integration of NB-MAR to
water policies and develop a sustainable regulatory environment. These goals can improve water
management, resilience, security and contribute to human rights. The project handles groundwater
flow systems as the critical missing element of better water management. Different flow systems
are naturally buffered against drought and flood. We propose to use the natural differences to
balance drought and flood by NB-MAR methods through water replenishment. The project aims to
have an impact on multidisciplinary fields. (I) Natural scientific field: it produces datasets, models,
recommendations to disentangle i) trends of climate-hydrological extremes, ii) their impact on
groundwater bodies, iii) the climate buffering role of groundwater flow systems, its better
exploitation. iv) Generation of knowledge on the buffering capacity of aquifers. v) Returning to
society: a) monitoring tools for indicators; b) open access guides, events on buffering capacity of
groundwater flow and NB-MARs; c) a decision support system. (II) Socio-legal field: the project aims i)
to elaborate materials that inform future NB-MAR projects to support the goals of local/regional
sustainable water management; ii) to develop duration guidelines by the cooperation of scientists,
communication and educational experts using evidence-based assessment of efficiency; iii) to
produce a) a scientific publication on the stakeholder value propositions for NB-MAR solutions, b) a
briefing document for policymakers with communication guidelines for NB-MAR solutions, c) digital,
customizable communication packages; iv) to create a method to integrate environmental,
agricultural, industrial, and public service provision policies on water. The proposal connects to
Themes III, VII, V; Topics 1,2,3. Mostly it connects to Theme III, addressing knowledge gaps by
involving groundwater flow systems in understanding the connection between groundwater, surface
water bodies and extreme events, the management of water schemes and the recharge of aquifers
(1.1) It develops an innovative understanding of how underground flow influences the
quality/quantity of water processes (1.2) It proposes a nature-based water replenishment approach
and intends to create a new methodology regarding groundwater's buffering role (Topic 2.2). It
proposes a governance model (Theme VII) based on dashboard indicators to reduce vulnerability to
extreme events (3.1), to reach more efficient citizen and stakeholder awareness and support the
proposed strategy for mitigation and adaptation to hydroclimatic events (Topic 2.1). The dashboard
can apply to transboundary water resources and help in water diplomacy (Topic 1.3, 3.2). In terms of
infrastructure (Theme V), the results help decision-makers reveal necessary adaptation steps to
mitigate water infrastructure resilience