Szanyi et al. (2026) Assessment of Changes in Groundwater Resources Due to Climate Change for the Purpose of Sustainable Water Management in Hungary

⚠️ Warning: This summary was generated from the abstract only, as the full text was not available.

Identification

• Journal: Water
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-03-19
• Authors: János Szanyi, Hawkar Ali Abdulhaq, Róbert Hegyi, Tamás Gál, Éva Szabó, László Lossos, Emese Tóth
• DOI: 10.3390/w18060724

Research Groups

Not explicitly mentioned in the provided paper text. The study focuses on the Nyírség recharge–discharge system in north-eastern Hungary, suggesting involvement of regional hydrological or environmental research institutions.

Short Summary

This study assessed climate and pumping impacts on the Nyírség groundwater system using monitoring and modeling, finding that climate-driven recharge reductions will dominate basin-scale declines by 2050, with managed aquifer recharge offering localized benefits.

Objective

• To assess climate- and pumping-driven impacts on the Nyírség recharge–discharge system, evaluate mid-century (2050) conditions, and explore managed aquifer recharge (MAR) options.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Regional scale, focusing on the Nyírség recharge–discharge system in north-eastern Hungary within the Carpathian Basin.
• Temporal Scale: Historical analysis spanning 1970–2024 (groundwater monitoring from 1970–2022, hydroclimate data from 1981–2024), with future projections to mid-century (2050).

Methodology and Data

• Models used: MODFLOW groundwater-flow model.
• Data sources: Shallow groundwater monitoring data (1970–2022), CHIRPS precipitation data, ERA5-Land air temperature and snow depth data (1981–2024), permitted abstraction records, and scenario-based estimates of unregistered pumping.

Main Results

• The region exhibits marked warming and a pronounced decline in snow storage, leading to reduced cold-season buffering and higher evaporative demand.
• Simulations accurately reproduce the observed post-2010 decline in shallow groundwater, with the most significant decreases occurring in higher-elevation recharge areas.
• Increased pumping primarily intensifies localized groundwater drawdown around major well fields.
• By 2050, climate-driven reductions in recharge are projected to be the dominant factor for basin-scale groundwater declines.
• Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) provides primarily local benefits, with direct subsurface injection identified as the most effective option among those tested.

Contributions

• Quantifies the relative impacts of climate change and pumping on a regional groundwater system using a combined approach of long-term monitoring, hydroclimate data, and a calibrated groundwater-flow model.
• Provides scenario-based projections for mid-century groundwater conditions and evaluates the effectiveness of various managed aquifer recharge (MAR) options.
• Offers practical, data-driven recommendations for sustainable groundwater management in the context of climate change and increasing irrigation demand.

Funding

Not explicitly mentioned in the provided paper text.

Citation

@article{Szanyi2026Assessment,
  author = {Szanyi, János and Abdulhaq, Hawkar Ali and Hegyi, Róbert and Gál, Tamás and Szabó, Éva and Lossos, László and Tóth, Emese},
  title = {Assessment of Changes in Groundwater Resources Due to Climate Change for the Purpose of Sustainable Water Management in Hungary},
  journal = {Water},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.3390/w18060724},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.3390/w18060724}
}