TY - JOUR
T1 - Cryosphere–groundwater connectivity is a missing link in the mountain water cycle
AU - van Tiel, Marit
AU - Aubry-Wake, Caroline
AU - Somers, Lauren
AU - Andermann, Christoff
AU - Avanzi, Francesco
AU - Baraer, Michel
AU - Chiogna, Gabriele
AU - Daigre, Clémence
AU - Das, Soumik
AU - Drenkhan, Fabian
AU - Farinotti, Daniel
AU - Fyffe, Catriona L.
AU - de Graaf, Inge
AU - Hanus, Sarah
AU - Immerzeel, Walter
AU - Koch, Franziska
AU - McKenzie, Jeffrey M.
AU - Müller, Tom
AU - Popp, Andrea L.
AU - Saidaliyeva, Zarina
AU - Schaefli, Bettina
AU - Schilling, Oliver S.
AU - Teagai, Kapiolani
AU - Thornton, James M.
AU - Yapiyev, Vadim
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Springer Nature Limited 2024.
PY - 2024/7
Y1 - 2024/7
N2 - The mountain cryosphere and groundwater play pivotal roles in shaping the hydrological cycle, yet their connectivity remains incompletely understood. Current knowledge on meltwater recharge and consequent groundwater discharge processes is better developed for snow–groundwater connectivity than for glacier–groundwater connectivity. Estimates of meltwater recharge vary considerably, which is probably a function of not only inherent catchment characteristics but also of the different spatio-temporal scales involved and the uncertainties in the methods used. This hinders a comprehensive understanding of the mountain water cycle. As glaciers retreat, permafrost thaws and snowpack diminishes, the relative importance of mountain groundwater is expected to increase. However, shifting and declining recharge from the cryosphere may decrease absolute groundwater amounts and fluxes with as-yet unknown effects on catchment-scale hydrological processes. We therefore stress the need to better quantify mountain cryosphere–groundwater connectivity to predict climate change impacts on mountain water supply and to support sustainable water resource management of downstream socio-ecological systems.
AB - The mountain cryosphere and groundwater play pivotal roles in shaping the hydrological cycle, yet their connectivity remains incompletely understood. Current knowledge on meltwater recharge and consequent groundwater discharge processes is better developed for snow–groundwater connectivity than for glacier–groundwater connectivity. Estimates of meltwater recharge vary considerably, which is probably a function of not only inherent catchment characteristics but also of the different spatio-temporal scales involved and the uncertainties in the methods used. This hinders a comprehensive understanding of the mountain water cycle. As glaciers retreat, permafrost thaws and snowpack diminishes, the relative importance of mountain groundwater is expected to increase. However, shifting and declining recharge from the cryosphere may decrease absolute groundwater amounts and fluxes with as-yet unknown effects on catchment-scale hydrological processes. We therefore stress the need to better quantify mountain cryosphere–groundwater connectivity to predict climate change impacts on mountain water supply and to support sustainable water resource management of downstream socio-ecological systems.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85204374112&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/s44221-024-00277-8
DO - 10.1038/s44221-024-00277-8
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85204374112
SN - 2731-6084
VL - 2
SP - 624
EP - 637
JO - Nature Water
JF - Nature Water
IS - 7
M1 - 4669
ER -
