Climate change in Central Europe and the sensitivity of the hard rock aquifer in the Bohemian Massif to decline of recharge, case study from the Bohemian Massif
Abstract
Climate change in Central Europe is manifested by periods of drought during the summer months of years when there is a reduction in atmospheric precipitation and temporary accumulation of water in the form of snow during winter period. The shallow sub-surface aquifer in crystalline rocks is very vulnerable to this decline in rainfall.
Monitoring and subsequent model simulations revealed that the groundwater level in recharge areas had been lowered by almost 10 meters, but the study also showed that levels in discharge areas are significantly more stable. The transmissivity of hard rock aquifers evidently shows changes both in space and time.
The temperature rise results in increasing values of evapotranspiration that is manifested by a gentle but long-lasting groundwater level decline.