VAGRO: Development of a method for reliably estimating groundwater recharge for improved water balance modeling as a basis for adaptive groundwater management
Funded by
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) – RuD project funding
Duration
20.10.2025 - 31.12.2027
Description
Against the background of increasing periods of drought, climate change and rising water demand in agriculture, industry and municipal supply, pressure on available water resources is growing. In order to ensure a reliable water supply in the future, there is an urgent need for robust, data-based and practical methods for assessing groundwater recharge - the central component in regional water balance.
The VAGRO research project – “Development of a method for reliably estimating groundwater recharge for improved water balance modeling as a basis for adaptive groundwater management” – is developing an innovative methodological approach to quantifying groundwater recharge in the Free State of Saxony. The project is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
The focus is on a holistic method that combines soil moisture and water isotope measurements with process-based modeling and web-based, interactive visualization of the results. The aim is to develop a digital tool for calculating groundwater recharge in (quasi) real time – a “digital twin” of the water balance. This tool should be applicable to catchment areas with different uses – from forests and agricultural land to urban areas – and provide a more reliable basis for decision-making.
A key innovative aspect of the project is the integration of stable water isotopes for calibrating and validating the model. These provide additional information about infiltration processes and groundwater recharge and have not yet been widely established in practical applications. This is complemented by an energy-efficient, radio-autonomous soil moisture measurement network that can also be operated in remote locations without a mobile phone connection.
The digitally usable tool is to be put into practice and used by water suppliers, authorities, and agricultural businesses to optimize management. In this way, VAGRO project is making a concrete contribution to climate adaptation and the sustainable protection of water resources in Saxony. As part of the project, the method is to be tested in the catchment area of the Leipzig waterworks.
The project is being implemented in close cooperation between three partners: Dresden University of Technology, represented by the Institute for Groundwater Management, is responsible for scientific management, modeling, and isotope analysis. Pikobytes GmbH contributes its expertise in software development and data visualization, while IoT-Plan GmbH is responsible for the design, development, and operation of the sensor network for soil moisture measurement.
Contact person
© C. Stefan
Dr.-Ing. Thomas Fichtner
Scientific staff
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