Boosting irrigation efficiency (IE) to save water may seem like a no-brainer, but it can sometimes backfire. This study found that in China’s Huaihe River Basin, increasing IE sometimes actually worsens drought by encouraging more water use, especially when water is already scarce. When water is plentiful, better IE helps reduce drought, but when it’s limited, higher IE can make it worse. Key takeaway? Water-saving policies should be tailored to local conditions and consider the bigger picture to avoid unintended consequences! 

Read the paper here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022169424016573?via%3Dihub 

Turns out, we don’t know exactly! A new study we contributed to uncovers big uncertainties in global groundwater depth models, which could impact everything from ecosystems to drinking water supplies. We urge better data and models to ensure sustainable water use and fight future shortages. The takeaway? We need clearer insights to protect this hidden, vital resource beneath our feet.

Read the paper here: Uncertainty in model estimates of global groundwater depth - IOPscience 

A new study reveals how melting glaciers and snowpack feed underground water systems, impacting rivers and ecosystems far beyond mountain ranges. This hidden connection is essential to the global water cycle, yet often overlooked. Understanding this link is key to managing water resources in a warming world. 

Read the paper here: Cryosphere–groundwater connectivity is a missing link in the mountain water cycle | Nature Water 

De Graaf is interested in the future availability of freshwater, a challenge exacerbated by the growing world population and climate change. Using an innovative model linking groundwater-surface water interactions, she has shown that groundwater abstraction has a major impact on nature and that it is particularly important to better understand the interaction between groundwater levels, agricultural irrigation and rivers. De Graaf’s research highlights the challenge involved in using sustainable methods to ensure food security on a global scale. 

Twelve young researchers from various scientific domains are presented with the Royal Dutch Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW)  Early Career Award every year. The award acknowledges their exceptional achievements with a unique work of art and a sum of 15,000 euros. This is the fifth time KNAW Early Career Award has been presented. 

Groundwater pumping is causing rivers to lose water—a process called "river capture." A new global study coming from our team highlights how over-extraction of groundwater intensifies this phenomenon, impacting freshwater ecosystems and reducing river flow. As more water is drawn from underground, rivers can shrink or even dry up, threatening water supplies and habitats. This research underscores the urgent need to rethink water management and protect both surface and groundwater resources in a changing climate. 

Read the paper here: https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ad383d