Shared aquifers, border hotspots: Cooperation should follow where groundwater is pumped, scientists say
Groundwater depletion and groundwater-dependent irrigation tend to concentrate close to international borders within aquifers shared by two or more countries, where pumping on one side is more likely to affect users on the other, according to a publication by the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH).
Shared groundwater resources near international borders can create hotspots of cooperation, according to scientists. Groundwater depletion and irrigation are more likely to affect neighboring countries when pumping occurs close to borders within shared aquifers, according to a publication by the UNU-INWEH. The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, finds that groundwater depletion is not necessarily greater in transboundary aquifers compared to domestic ones, but the effects of depletion and irrigation tend to cluster near international borders.
This pattern is not seen in domestic aquifers. Dr. Marc F. Müller, the lead author of the brief, notes that proximity alone is not enough to determine if one country's pumping is impacting another's groundwater levels. Instead, closer local hydrogeological assessments are necessary to understand potential cross-border impacts. As irrigation expands, the patterns of cooperation may shift.
The study suggests that cooperation should be tailored to the specific locations of use and depletion along the borders. Countries may need to coordinate pumping limits and recharge management, particularly where intensive use is concentrated along the border. This practical approach aims to maintain options for future water management and supports the U.N. 2026 Water Conference's goals by turning commitments into actionable arrangements.
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