Zhang et al. (2025) Land use and economic development influenced the hotspots of groundwater storage gains and losses in mainland China in the past 20 years

Identification

• Journal: Journal of Hydrology
• Year: 2025
• Date: 2025-09-18
• Authors: Qian Zhang, Shengwei Lv, Shengwei Zhang, Ying Zhou, Xi Lin, Lin Yang, Shuai Wang, Ruishen Li
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2025.134280

Research Groups

• College of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, 010018 Hohhot, China
• Key Laboratory of Water Resources Protection and Utilization of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, 010018 Hohhot, China
• Autonomous Region Collaborative Innovation Center for Integrated Management of Water Resources and Water Environment in the Inner Mongolia Reaches of the Yellow River, 010018 Hohhot, China
• State Key Laboratory of Water Engineering Ecology and Environment in Arid Area, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, 010018 Hohhot, China
• Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Water Resources Research Institute, 010051 Hohhot, China
• Key Laboratory of Grassland Management and Utilization of Inner Mongolia, College of Grassland Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, 010011 Hohhot, China

Short Summary

This study identifies groundwater storage change hotspots across mainland China over the past two decades using GRACE/GRACE-FO satellite data. It reveals that land use and economic factors are the primary drivers of these changes, with their influence varying geographically.

Objective

• Identify groundwater storage change hotspots in mainland China and quantify the contributions of natural and anthropogenic factors (climatic, land use, and socio-economic variables) to these changes for sustainable water management.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Mainland China
• Temporal Scale: Past two decades (approximately 20 years)

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Watergap Global Hydrological Model (for cross-validation)
• Data sources: GRACE/GRACE-FO satellite data, available well records, climatic variables, socio-economic variables

Main Results

• Groundwater storage change hotspots were identified using Pettitt-test and temporal stability analyses, categorized into loss (Levels I, II, III) and gain (Levels IV, V) conditions, with severity increasing by level.
• GRACE/GRACE-FO derived groundwater storage was cross-validated against the Watergap Global Hydrological Model and well records, showing correlation coefficients ranging from 0.76 to 0.88.
• Loss hotspots are predominant in North China, Loess Plateau, Northwest China, Northeast China, and Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. In the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, combined Level I, II, and III loss hotspots exceed 60%, while in other regions, this combined proportion is over 75%.
• Surplus (gain) hotspots are prevalent in South China, Ch-Yu region, Middle-Lower Yangtze River, and Yun-Gui Plateau, where Level IV and V gain hotspots exceed 60%.
• Groundwater changes in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and Loess Plateau are primarily influenced by land use, whereas economic factors play a more significant role in other regions.

Contributions

• Provides valuable insights into regional groundwater storage changes across mainland China.
• Identifies specific regional drivers (land use, economic factors) influencing groundwater storage gains and losses.
• Offers a scientific foundation for effective and regionally tailored water resource management strategies.

Funding

• Not specified in the provided text.

Citation

@article{Zhang2025Land,
  author = {Zhang, Qian and Lv, Shengwei and Zhang, Shengwei and Zhou, Ying and Lin, Xi and Yang, Lin and Wang, Shuai and Li, Ruishen},
  title = {Land use and economic development influenced the hotspots of groundwater storage gains and losses in mainland China in the past 20 years},
  journal = {Journal of Hydrology},
  year = {2025},
  doi = {10.1016/j.jhydrol.2025.134280},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2025.134280}
}