Global Groundwater Monitoring Network

Groundwater is monitored in many parts of the world, mainly by measuring groundwater levels, groundwater abstraction, spring discharge and water quality. The results of these point measurements are often interpolated and combined with other information pieces to produce various groundwater thematic maps covering aquifers, regions or even countries. There is, however, no systematic monitoring and assessment of groundwater change on global scale.

Global Groundwater Monitoring Group (see the photo) is establishing a sustainable Global Groundwater Monitoring Network (GGMN) aiming to use monitored data for a periodic assessment of the global groundwater resources (download a flyer). It should be noted that our intention is not to create a new, separate global network of monitoring wells. Likewise, no redesign of existing groundwater monitoring networks should be expected. The global monitoring network uses aggregated information from existing networks in order to represent a regional change of groundwater resources at the scale relevant for the global assessment.