Groundwater

Why Groundwater

The Why Groundwater page from IGRAC provides a clear and accessible guide to the essentials of groundwater: what it is, why it matters, and how it connects to everyday issues. From basic groundwater concepts to its links with climate change, ecosystems, agriculture, industry, and urbanisation, this resource explains both the threats groundwater faces (like contamination, overuse, and uneven access) and its vital role in sustaining life, water supply, food security, and ecosystems worldwide.

Groundwater

“Groundwater” by R. Allan Freeze and John A. Cherry, published in 1979, is a seminal textbook in hydrogeology. It integrates chemistry, physics, geology, and calculus to provide a comprehensive understanding of groundwater hydrology. The book covers topics such as transport processes, groundwater contamination, well hydraulics, and aquifer yield, including analogue and numerical modelling.

This textbook has been made freely available online in multiple languages, including English, Spanish, and French, through initiatives like The Groundwater Project.

Cherry, J. A., & Freeze, R. A. (1979). Groundwater. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. p. 370

Data on groundwater

Data is a cornerstone of sustainable and equitable groundwater management. The IGRAC Data page is your gateway into the Global Groundwater Information System (GGIS), through which you can access maps, datasets, monitoring data, country profiles, and global assessments. It also connects to the Global Groundwater Monitoring Network (GGMN) to provide time series and quality/level data from national and subnational sources. Whether you’re searching for spatial layers, well data, trends, or country-specific groundwater insight — this portal is designed for exploration, transparency, and sharing.

Groundwater Project

For those interested in further reading, the Groundwater Project is an evolving open-access platform offering a wide and growing collection of groundwater-related books. Authored and reviewed by leading experts from around the world, these publications cover topics ranging from fundamental hydrogeology to applied groundwater management and policy. The initiative aims to make reliable, up-to-date knowledge accessible to students, researchers, and practitioners everywhere.

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