Identifying Zones of Threat to Groundwater Resources Under Combined Climate and Land-Use Dynamics in a Major Groundwater Reservoir (MGR 406, Poland)

Sebastian Zabłocki, Katarzyna Sawicka, Dorota Porowska () and Ewa Krogulec
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Sebastian Zabłocki: Faculty of Geology, University of Warsaw, ul. Żwirki i Wigury 93, 02-089 Warsaw, Poland
Katarzyna Sawicka: Faculty of Geology, University of Warsaw, ul. Żwirki i Wigury 93, 02-089 Warsaw, Poland
Dorota Porowska: Faculty of Geology, University of Warsaw, ul. Żwirki i Wigury 93, 02-089 Warsaw, Poland
Ewa Krogulec: Faculty of Geology, University of Warsaw, ul. Żwirki i Wigury 93, 02-089 Warsaw, Poland

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 8, 1-20

Abstract: This study addresses the effects of climate variability and land-use change on groundwater recharge in Major Groundwater Reservoir 406 (MGR 406) in southeastern Poland, a key strategic water resource. It focuses on how regional shifts in precipitation patterns and spatial development influence the volume and distribution of renewable groundwater resources. The analysis integrates meteorological data (1951–2024), groundwater modeling outputs, groundwater-use data, and land cover changes from CORINE datasets (1990–2018). A spatial assessment of hydrogeological conditions was performed using the Groundwater Resources Assessment Index (GRAI), combining drought frequency, recharge conditions, land-use classes, and groundwater extraction levels. Results indicate a long-term increase in annual precipitation alongside more frequent but shorter drought episodes. Urban expansion and land sealing were found to reduce infiltration efficiency, particularly in and around the city of Lublin, where the highest extraction rates were recorded. The assessment identified several zones of high threat to groundwater resources, which have no sufficient legal protection. These findings highlight the need to integrate groundwater management into local spatial planning and land management strategies. The study concludes that balancing water use and recharge potential under evolving climate and land-use pressures are essential to ensuring the sustainability of groundwater resources in MGR 406.

Keywords: climate change; land cover change; groundwater recharge; drought analysis; spatial assessment; groundwater resources assessment index (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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