Unprecedented large-scale aquifer recovery through human intervention

Di Long (), Yuancheng Xu, Yingjie Cui, Yanhong Cui, James J. Butler, Liang Dong, Longfeng Wang, Dongyong Liu, Yoshihide Wada, Litang Hu, Guoying Bai, Binghua Li, Shufang Wang, Xizhi Nong, Yang Cai, Chunsheng Cheng, Yuhan Mu, Yu Qiao, Jianhua Wang, Hao Wang and Bridget R. Scanlon
Additional contact information
Di Long: Tsinghua University
Yuancheng Xu: Tsinghua University
Yingjie Cui: Tsinghua University
Yanhong Cui: Tsinghua University
James J. Butler: University of Kansas
Liang Dong: Tsinghua University
Longfeng Wang: China Institute of Geo-Environment Monitoring
Dongyong Liu: China Institute of Geo-Environment Monitoring
Yoshihide Wada: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
Litang Hu: Beijing Normal University
Guoying Bai: Beijing Hydrology Center
Binghua Li: Beijing Water Science and Technology Institute
Shufang Wang: Beijing Institute of Geological Environment Monitoring
Xizhi Nong: Tsinghua University
Yang Cai: Ministry of Water Resources
Chunsheng Cheng: Ministry of Water Resources
Yuhan Mu: Ministry of Water Resources
Yu Qiao: China South-to-North Water Diversion Corporation Limited
Jianhua Wang: China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research
Hao Wang: China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research
Bridget R. Scanlon: University of Texas at Austin

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract Groundwater depletion is a critical global challenge, particularly in intensively cultivated drylands, with few documented cases of successful recovery. Here, we report a striking reversal of long-term groundwater decline in the North China Plain, one of the world’s most severely depleted aquifers. Based on a comprehensive analysis of groundwater levels from over 2000 monitoring wells spanning the past two decades, we show that groundwater levels have risen at an average rate of ~0.7 m year−1 since 2020, surpassing 2005 levels by 2024. This recovery is driven by a combination of large-scale surface water diversion from the humid south and stringent groundwater pumping regulations, further amplified by wet years (e.g., 2021). From 2005 to 2023, these policies reduced annual groundwater abstraction by ~12 km3 and increased environmental water allocations to over 7 km3 since 2021, promoting aquifer recharge and restoring environmental flows. Our findings demonstrate that rapid, large-scale groundwater recovery is achievable through integrated water management and targeted policy interventions across extensive regions (~130,000 km2).

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-62719-5

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