Potential Impacts of Climate Change on Groundwater Quality

Abstract

This report synthesizes available scientific literature on the potential responses of different hydrogeological and biogeochemical processes to climate change and discusses how these processes could impact groundwater quality. This review suggests that the effects of climate change are likely to cause ephemeral and long-term impacts on groundwater quality driven by modifications of hydrogeological processes, including precipitation, groundwater recharge, discharge, capacity, and seawater intrusion. These modifications would influence biogeochemical reactions and the ultimate chemical fate and transport of contaminants, and are likely to drive the variability of both anthropogenic and geogenic contaminants.