Grund- und Oberflächenwasser: Forscher: Wasserdefizit in Deutschland verschlimmert sich

The research conducted by the Potsdam Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) in collaboration with NASA and the German Aerospace Center reveals a worsening water deficit in Germany and Europe over the past few months. A GFZ spokesperson expressed concern that the water reservoir might not recover by the end of the year, even if more rain is expected in the autumn.

The researchers monitor the overall water content both above and below the Earth's surface, which allows them to calculate the extent of changes in water storage. Since 2015, Germany has witnessed increasingly drier conditions compared to the previous 15 years. Although the rainy year of 2024 led to a temporary recovery in water storage, it was followed by another significant decline.

The primary cause of the long-term decrease in water storage is attributed to the reduction in groundwater levels, which are present in the majority of the decline in water storage in Germany. The researchers are particularly worried as the current data up to June has not yet accounted for the heatwave experienced in Germany. The effects of the heatwave will only be reflected in the data of subsequent months, which are expected to be released in the autumn.

The researchers note that heat reduces water storage, and the balance with precipitation data shows no long-term negative trend in precipitation amounts. However, there is an increasing potential for evaporation due to rising air temperatures, which is the amount of water that can be transported from the ground to the atmosphere.