Articles | Volume 29, issue 13
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-2925-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-2925-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
11 Jul 2025
Research article |
| 11 Jul 2025
| 11 Jul 2025
Groundwater head responses to droughts across Germany
Department of Hydrogeology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
Andreas Musolff
Department of Hydrogeology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
Rohini Kumar
Department of Computational Hydrosystems, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
Andreas Hartmann
Institute of Groundwater Management, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
Jan H. Fleckenstein
Department of Hydrogeology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
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Cited
15 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Bundesweite Entwicklung der Grundwasserstände seit 1991: Langzeittrends, Variabilität und Auswirkungen der jüngsten Trockenphase M. Wetzel et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00767-026-00616-4
- Using spatially explicit machine learning to enhance assessment of the Global Gravity-based Groundwater Product for groundwater storage change in Germany A. Raza et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2026.103363
- “A new approach in groundwater drought assessment: separation of long-term trends using hydrological relative strength index (HRSI) and application in the Konya Closed Basin” A. Ucar et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asej.2026.104472
- The role of secondary data in estimating groundwater levels in the Iberian Peninsula N. Ben-Salem et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsd.2026.101594
- Spectral analysis of groundwater level time series for robust estimation of aquifer response times T. Houben et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-5685-2026
- Emerging hotspots of groundwater conflicts during droughts in Germany J. Sodoge et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2026.116338
- Comprehensive mapping and classification of Germany’s drinking water protection areas K. Szillat et al. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12302-025-01233-3
- Climate change-driven propagation of meteorological-hydrological-groundwater drought: insights from the Pearl River Basin, China H. Yuan et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.135121
- Remote sensing reveals heterogeneous responses of urban vegetation types to compound heat and drought events in Hamburg, Germany N. Kaul et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2026.129489
- Predicting regional-scale groundwater levels at high spatial resolution using spatial Random Forest models A. Raza et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jag.2025.104918
- Regional-scale groundwater analysis with dimensionality reduction M. Somogyvári et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-25-4613-2025
- Topography and unsaturated zone thickness influence groundwater drought response and recovery in karst critical zone H. Ren et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2026.110598
- Integrating propagation and recovery dynamics into groundwater drought vulnerability assessment through exposure, pressure, and aquifer system response K. Sawicka & K. Jurzyk https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-5809-2026
- Explainable deep learning-based simulation for evaluating climate-driven future groundwater level changes in South Korea J. Hwang & K. Lee https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101541
- Medium -term monitoring and machine learning-based forecasting of drought dynamics in Iran A. Zarei https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-45031-0
15 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Bundesweite Entwicklung der Grundwasserstände seit 1991: Langzeittrends, Variabilität und Auswirkungen der jüngsten Trockenphase M. Wetzel et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00767-026-00616-4
- Using spatially explicit machine learning to enhance assessment of the Global Gravity-based Groundwater Product for groundwater storage change in Germany A. Raza et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2026.103363
- “A new approach in groundwater drought assessment: separation of long-term trends using hydrological relative strength index (HRSI) and application in the Konya Closed Basin” A. Ucar et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asej.2026.104472
- The role of secondary data in estimating groundwater levels in the Iberian Peninsula N. Ben-Salem et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsd.2026.101594
- Spectral analysis of groundwater level time series for robust estimation of aquifer response times T. Houben et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-5685-2026
- Emerging hotspots of groundwater conflicts during droughts in Germany J. Sodoge et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2026.116338
- Comprehensive mapping and classification of Germany’s drinking water protection areas K. Szillat et al. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12302-025-01233-3
- Climate change-driven propagation of meteorological-hydrological-groundwater drought: insights from the Pearl River Basin, China H. Yuan et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.135121
- Remote sensing reveals heterogeneous responses of urban vegetation types to compound heat and drought events in Hamburg, Germany N. Kaul et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2026.129489
- Predicting regional-scale groundwater levels at high spatial resolution using spatial Random Forest models A. Raza et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jag.2025.104918
- Regional-scale groundwater analysis with dimensionality reduction M. Somogyvári et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-25-4613-2025
- Topography and unsaturated zone thickness influence groundwater drought response and recovery in karst critical zone H. Ren et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2026.110598
- Integrating propagation and recovery dynamics into groundwater drought vulnerability assessment through exposure, pressure, and aquifer system response K. Sawicka & K. Jurzyk https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-5809-2026
- Explainable deep learning-based simulation for evaluating climate-driven future groundwater level changes in South Korea J. Hwang & K. Lee https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101541
- Medium -term monitoring and machine learning-based forecasting of drought dynamics in Iran A. Zarei https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-45031-0
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 13 Oct 2026
Short summary
Groundwater is a crucial resource at risk due to droughts. To understand drought effects on groundwater levels in Germany, we grouped 6626 wells into six regional and two national patterns. Weather explained half of the level variations with varied response times. Shallow groundwater responds fast and is more vulnerable to short droughts (a 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.
Groundwater is a crucial resource at risk due to droughts. To understand drought effects on...
