Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2761
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2761
15 Oct 2024
 | 15 Oct 2024

Groundwater head responses to droughts across Germany

Pia Ebeling, Andreas Musolff, Rohini Kumar, Andreas Hartmann, and Jan H. Fleckenstein

Abstract. Groundwater is a crucial resource for society and the environment, e.g. for drinking water supply and dry-weather stream flows. The recent severe drought in Europe (2018–2020) has demonstrated that these services could be jeopardized by ongoing global warming and the associated increase in the frequency and duration of hydroclimatic extremes such as droughts. To assess the effects of meteorological variability on groundwater heads throughout Germany, we systematically analyzed the response of groundwater heads at 6,626 wells over a period of 30 years. We characterized and clustered groundwater head responses, quantified response time scales, and linked the identified patterns to spatial controls such as land cover and topography using machine learning. We identified eight distinct clusters of groundwater responses with emerging regional patterns. Meteorological variations explained about 50 % of the groundwater head variations, with response time scales ranging from a few months to several years between clusters. The differences in groundwater head responses between the regions could be attributed to regional meteorological variations, while the differences within the regions depended on local landscape controls. Here, the depth to groundwater best explained the time scale of the observed head response, with shorter response times in shallower groundwater. Two of the clusters showed consistent long-term trends that exceeded meteorological controls and could be attributed to anthropogenic impacts. Our study contributes to a better understanding of the regional controls of groundwater head dynamics and to the classification of groundwater vulnerability to hydroclimatic extremes.

Competing interests: At least one of the (co-)authors is a member of the editorial board of Hydrology and Earth System Sciences. The peer-review process was guided by an independent editor, and the authors also have no other competing interests to declare.

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this preprint. The responsibility to include appropriate place names lies with the authors.
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Journal article(s) based on this preprint

11 Jul 2025
Groundwater head responses to droughts across Germany
Pia Ebeling, Andreas Musolff, Rohini Kumar, Andreas Hartmann, and Jan H. Fleckenstein
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 2925–2950, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-2925-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-2925-2025, 2025
Short summary
Pia Ebeling, Andreas Musolff, Rohini Kumar, Andreas Hartmann, and Jan H. Fleckenstein

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-2761', Anonymous Referee #1, 17 Nov 2024
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Pia Ebeling, 18 Mar 2025
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-2761', Anonymous Referee #2, 13 Feb 2025
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Pia Ebeling, 18 Mar 2025

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-2761', Anonymous Referee #1, 17 Nov 2024
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Pia Ebeling, 18 Mar 2025
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-2761', Anonymous Referee #2, 13 Feb 2025
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Pia Ebeling, 18 Mar 2025

Peer review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision | EF: Editorial file upload
ED: Publish subject to revisions (further review by editor and referees) (28 Mar 2025) by Alberto Guadagnini
AR by Pia Ebeling on behalf of the Authors (15 Apr 2025)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Publish as is (18 Apr 2025) by Alberto Guadagnini
AR by Pia Ebeling on behalf of the Authors (22 Apr 2025)  Manuscript 

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

11 Jul 2025
Groundwater head responses to droughts across Germany
Pia Ebeling, Andreas Musolff, Rohini Kumar, Andreas Hartmann, and Jan H. Fleckenstein
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 29, 2925–2950, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-2925-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-2925-2025, 2025
Short summary
Pia Ebeling, Andreas Musolff, Rohini Kumar, Andreas Hartmann, and Jan H. Fleckenstein
Pia Ebeling, Andreas Musolff, Rohini Kumar, Andreas Hartmann, and Jan H. Fleckenstein

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Short summary
Groundwater is a crucial resource at risk by droughts. To understand drought effects on groundwater in Germany, we grouped 6626 wells into six regional and two nationwide head patterns. Weather explained half of the head variations with varied response times. Shallow groundwater responds fast and is more vulnerable to short droughts (few months). Dampened deep heads buffer short droughts but suffer from long droughts and recoveries. Two nationwide trend patterns were linked to human water use.
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