Assessment of groundwater quantitative vulnerability to climate change in Slovenia

Abstract

Assessment of the potential impact of climate change on groundwater recharge and availability of groundwater resources is as essential in Slovenia as it is elsewhere. Adaptive planning is of immense importance when aiming for reduction of negative impacts, even more so in areas with the highest groundwater exploitation levels and the lowest adaptive capacity. We have assessed quantitative groundwater vulnerability to climate change through potential impact and adaptive capacity indicators for all groundwater bodies in Slovenia. High and moderatly high quantitative groundwater vulnerability can be observed in merely 9 % of Slovenian territory. The highest quantitative vulnerability was accounted to shallow alluvial groundwater bodies in the northeastern part of the country, where the annual change in groundwater recharge due to climate change until the middle of this century is expected to represent more than a quarter of the current average annual groundwater extraction.