- 1University of Latvia, Department of Geology, Riga, Latvia (janis.bikse@lu.lv)
- 2Chalmers University of Technology, Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Gothenburg, Sweden
- 3University of Latvia, Department of Environmental Science
Understanding groundwater dynamics is crucial for assessing groundwater resilience and supporting water management, particularly in transboundary areas where shared aquifers are often evaluated only at a national level, overlooking the broader aquifer system and data from neighboring countries. Groundwater resilience—the ability of groundwater systems to recover from disturbances such as droughts—is a spatially variable trait influenced by a range of spatial-temporal factors that do not obey borders. This study investigates the spatial and hydrodynamic controls on groundwater dynamics within the Baltic region, focusing on the challenges posed by data discrepancies and monitoring network inconsistencies across Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia.
We utilized groundwater timeseries indices and the groundwater memory effect to investigate dominant patterns and their correlations with physiographic and climatic controls. Machine learning algorithms were used to explore spatial patterns with similar hydrodynamic characteristics. The analysis of national groundwater level data revealed monitoring gaps, particularly in transboundary aquifers, along with different national approaches in groundwater monitoring networks. These challenges complicate the comprehensive assessment of groundwater dynamics at a regional scale.
The results reveal that topographic, climatic and hydrological features are the most significant drivers of groundwater dynamics, followed by geological features. Groundwater indices and trends highlighted not only natural variability but also anthropogenic impacts on aquifer systems near large cities (e.g. Riga) and mining sites (e.g. Kohtla-Järve). We identify regions lacking monitoring wells and propose potential locations for new groundwater wells based on physiographic and hydrodynamic characteristics.
This research is supported by the GRANDE-U “Groundwater Resilience Assessment through Integrated Data Exploration for Ukraine” (No. 2409395) project.
How to cite: Bikše, J., Haaf, E., and Retike, I.: Groundwater dynamics across borders: data and monitoring network challenges in the Baltic countries, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-16367, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-16367, 2025.
