GENESIS project: Synthesis and Policy Recommendations:Deliverable D6.5: GENESIS, Work Package 6

The GENESIS project set out, principally, to review and develop scientific knowledge regarding groundwater systems, and to develop tools for better integrated management of these systems with related aquatic and terrestrial groundwater dependent ecosystems. The objectives of the project over its five year duration also included development of indicator methods, and of integrated model simulations applied to a series of representative European groundwater systems that incorporate new components on climate, land-use and pollution input changes. Special efforts have been made to link the project research to the ongoing process of implementing the Water Framework and Groundwater Directives (WFD and GWD respectively) – for example, examining the role of biogeochemical processes in pollutant degradation and the vulnerability of groundwater systems in the context of the GWD art.4(c) “appropriate investigation”. In addition, new methods were to be developed for assessing cost-effectiveness and the economic impacts resulting from changes in groundwater management practices across a range of the project case areas.This report aims to set out the main conclusions from each of the constituent work packages under which work has been done for the project. It will then go on to detail those conclusions that have relevance to policy making at the EU level, and those that are most relevant to decision makers at the Member State level as they seek to implement the WFD and GWD. Work Packages 1 and 7 have been excluded from this report as they were not concerned with substantive research work.<br/

Groundwater dependent ecosystems. Part I: Hydroecological status and trends

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Performance assessment of nitrate leaching models for highly vulnerable soils used in low-input farming based on lysimeter data

[EN] The agricultural sector faces the challenge of ensuring food security without an excessive burden on the environment. Simulationmodels provide excellent instruments for researchers to gainmore insight into relevant processes and best agricultural practices and provide tools for planners for decision making support. The extent to which models are capable of reliable extrapolation and prediction is important for exploring new farming systems or assessing the impacts of future land and climate changes. A performance assessmentwas conducted by testing six detailed state-of-the-artmodels for simulation of nitrate leaching (ARMOSA, COUPMODEL, DAISY, EPIC, SIMWASER/STOTRASIM, SWAP/ANIMO) for lysimeter data of the Wagna experimental field station in Eastern Austria, where the soil is highly vulnerable to nitrate leaching. Three consecutive phases were distinguished to gain insight in the predictive power of themodels: 1) a blind test for 2005 2008 in which only soil hydraulic characteristics, meteorological data and information about the agricultural management were accessible; 2) a calibration for the same period in which essential information on field observations was additionally available to the modellers; and 3) a validation for 2009 2011 with the corresponding type of data available as for the blind test. A set of statistical metrics (mean absolute error, root mean squared error, index of agreement,model efficiency, root relative squared error, Pearson's linear correlation coefficient) was applied for testing the results and comparing the models. None of the models performed good for all of the statistical metrics. Models designed for nitrate leaching in high-input farming systems had difficulties in accurately predicting leaching in low-input farming systems that are strongly influenced by the retention of nitrogen in catch crops and nitrogen fixation by legumes. An accurate calibration does not guarantee a good predictive power of the model. Nevertheless all models were able to identify years and crops with high- and low-leaching rates.This research was made possible by the GENESIS project of the EU 7th Framework Programme (Project No. 226536; FP7-ENV-2008-1). We are grateful for the experimental data provided by Joanneum Raum (Graz, Austria). The modelling team of Democritus University of Thrace would like to thank Per-Erik Jansson (Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden) for his valuable help during the application of Coup Model.Groenendijk, P.; Heinen, M.; Klammler, G.; Fank, J.; Kupfersberger, H.; Pisinaras, V.; Gemitzi, A.... (2014). Performance assessment of nitrate leaching models for highly vulnerable soils used in low-input farming based on lysimeter data. Science of the Total Environment. 499:463-480. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.07.002S46348049

Climate Change Impacts on Groundwater and Dependent Ecosystems - in press

[EN] Aquifers and groundwater-dependent ecosystems (GDEs) are facing increasing pressure from water consumption, irrigation and climate change. These pressures modify groundwater levels and their temporal patterns and threaten vital ecosystem services such as arable land irrigation and ecosystem water requirements, especially during droughts. This review examines climate change effects on groundwater and dependent ecosystems. The mechanisms affecting natural variability in the global climate and the consequences of climate and land use changes due to anthropogenic influences are summarised based on studies from different hydrogeological strata and climate zones. The impacts on ecosystems are discussed based on current findings on factors influencing the biodiversity and functioning of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. The influence of changes to groundwater on GDE biodiversity and future threats posed by climate change is reviewed, using information mainly from surface water studies and knowledge of aquifer and groundwater ecosystems. Several gaps in research are identified. Due to lack of understanding of several key processes, the uncertainty associated with management techniques such as numerical modelling is high. The possibilities and roles of new methodologies such as indicators and modelling methods are discussed in the context of integrated groundwater resources management. Examples are provided of management impacts on groundwater, with recommendations on sustainable management of groundwaterThe preparation of this review was partly funded by EC 7th framework Project GENESIS (Contract Number 226536).Klove, B.; Ala-Aho, P.; Bertrand, G.; Gurdak, JJ.; Kupfersberger, H.; Kværner, J.; Muotka, T.... (2014). Climate Change Impacts on Groundwater and Dependent Ecosystems - in press. Journal of Hydrology. 518(Part B):250-266. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2013.06.037S250266518Part

Combining Groundwater Flow Modeling and Local Estimates of Extreme Groundwater Levels to Predict the Groundwater Surface with a Return Period of 100 Years

Knowledge about extreme groundwater levels is needed to avoid structural or environmental damage by groundwater flooding. Typically, distributions of extreme groundwater levels are generated by interpolation between results derived from local extreme value analysis at groundwater observation wells. As an alternative methodology, we propose to apply the Gumbel distribution to groundwater level time series, which are computed by a groundwater flow model. In the approach, model-based and observation-based extreme groundwater values are compared at every observation well using the model simulation period and the longest available observation period to calculate correction values that are regionalized over the model area. We demonstrate the applicability of the approach at the S&uuml;dliches Wiener Becken (SWB) aquifer south of Vienna, where a groundwater flow model between 1993 to 2017 is available to compute the distribution of the groundwater levels with a hundred year return period (GLsWHYRP). We could show that the resulting GLsWHYRP are generally increased in regions of groundwater recharge and decreased in regions of groundwater discharge. The developed approach can also be used to assess the impact of changing boundary conditions on groundwater level and extreme highs and lows based on corresponding model scenarios

Modeling Subsurface Fate of S-Metolachlor and Metolachlor Ethane Sulfonic Acid in the Westliches Leibnitzer Feld Aquifer

Pesticides and their metabolites have been increasingly detected in groundwater bodies in southeastern Austria in recent years. The main objective of this study was to model the fate of the herbicide -metolachlor (2-chloro--(2-ethyl-6-methylphenyl)--[(1)-2-methoxy-1-methylethyl]acetamide; SMET) and the main metabolite metolachlor ethane sulfonic acid (MESA) at the Westliches Leibnitzer Feld (WLF) aquifer. For this purpose, a modeling approach based on coupling the one-dimensional vadose zone model PEARL and the two-dimensional groundwater flow and solute transport model FEFLOW was developed. To calibrate the one-dimensional pesticide fate model, we used leachate concentrations of SMET and MESA from lysimeter experiments. Additionally, samples of representative soil types in the WLF aquifer were analyzed to infer SMET- and MESA-specific fate parameters (e.g., half-life DT, Freundlich sorption coefficient ), which were used for the PEARL model. The results show that using SMET fate parameters derived from the lysimeter data considerably improved the fit of the simulation results with the field observations compared with the application of standard laboratory-derived fate parameters accounting for soil type differences. Although locally an overestimation of the monitoring data prevailed, the description of the subsurface fate of pesticides will improve the interpretation of concentration data and the design of mitigation measures

Protection of GDE related ecosystem services in future groundwater resources management: current policies, methods and future recommendations

Groundwater dependent ecosystems have a high biodiversity and many ecosystem services and their future protection is important. At present, little information is available on the role of groundwater in ecosystems let alone criteria for ecosystem protection. This report makes a critical analysis of present knowledge and seeks for new ways to understand and manage these systems. This is needed to manage groundwater bodies as intended in the European water directives (GWD and WFD) that strive to improve the status of groundwater and surface water. The report includes issues such as sustainability, legal issues, conceptual models, risk valuation and impact assessment methods.Godkänd; 2013; 20131024 (dmysie)Groundwater and Dependent Ecosystems: New Scientific and Technological Basis for Assessing Climate Change and Land-use Impacts on Groundwate