Articles | Volume 26, issue 10
https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-26-4641-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-26-4641-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
30 Sep 2026
Research article |
| 30 Sep 2026
| 30 Sep 2026
Managed aquifer recharge in confined multi-layer aquifers: a scalable framework for drought resilience in central Europe
Abdelrahman Ahmed Ali Abdelrahman
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Hydrogeology Department, Institute of Applied Geosciences, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
Hagen Koch
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Potsdam, Germany
Mobarok Hossain
Hydrogeology Department, Institute of Applied Geosciences, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Ronjon Heim
Adelphi research gGmbH, Berlin, Germany
Clara Hauke
Institute of Meteorology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Irina Engelhardt
Hydrogeology Department, Institute of Applied Geosciences, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Cited articles
Abdelrahman, A. A. A., Cominola, A., Guadagnini, A., Bussert, R., and Engelhardt, I.: Benchmarking traditional interpolation and machine learning methods for 3D hydrogeological modeling in complex multi-aquifer systems, J. Hydrol.-Reg. Stud., 103837, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2026.103837, 2026.
Abdo, H. G., Vishwakarma, D. K., Alsafadi, K., Bindajam, A. A., Mallick, J., Mallick, S. K., Arun Kumar, K. C., Albanai, J. A., Kuriqi, A., and Hysa, A.: GIS-based multi-criteria decision making for delineation of potential groundwater recharge zones for sustainable resource management in the Eastern Mediterranean: A case study, Applied Water Science, 14, 160, https://doi.org/10.1007/s13201-024-02217-z, 2024.
Alley, W. M., Dillon, P., and Zheng, Y.: Overview and governance of managed aquifer recharge, IAH Special Publication on MAR, IAH Commission on Managed Aquifer Recharge, https://recharge.iah.org/files/2022/06/MAR-overview-and-governance-IAH-Special-Publication-18June2022.pdf (last access: 27 September 2026), 2022.
Barua, S., Cartwright, I., Dresel, P. E., and Daly, E.: Using multiple methods to investigate the effects of land-use changes on groundwater recharge in a semi-arid area, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 89–104, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-89-2021, 2021.
Berlin Water Utility (BWB): Our tariffs for drinking water and drainage, https://languages.bwb.de/en/327.php (last access: 27 September 2026), 2019.
Berlin Water Utility (BWB): Der Durst der Region wächst stark – Wasserversorger aus Berlin und Brandenburg mit gemeinsamer Strategie, https://www.bwb.de/de/pressemitteilungen-2020_25586.php (last access: 27 September 2026), 2020.
Berlin Water Utility (BWB): Jahresrückblick 2024: Jeder Tropfen zählt, https://www.bwb.de/de/jahresrueckblick-2024.php (last access: 27 September 2026), 2024.
Bloomfield, J. P. and Marchant, B. P.: Analysis of groundwater drought building on the standardised precipitation index approach, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 4769–4787, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-4769-2013, 2013.
Bonilla, J., Blank, C., Roidt, M., Schneider, L., and Stefan, C.: Application of a GIS multi-criteria decision analysis for the identification of intrinsically suitable sites in Costa Rica for managed aquifer recharge through spreading methods, Water-Sui, 8, 391, https://doi.org/10.3390/w8090391, 2016.
Brakkee, E., van Huijgevoort, M. H. J., and Bartholomeus, R. P.: Improved understanding of regional groundwater drought development through time series modelling: the 2018–2019 drought in the Netherlands, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 551–569, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-551-2022, 2022.
Brown, C., Weiss, R., Verrastro, R., and Schubert, J.: Development of an aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) site selection suitability index in support of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Project, J. Environ. Hydrol., 13, 1–13, 2005.
Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe (BGR): Groundwater in Germany, Hannover, https://www.bgr.bund.de/EN/Themen/Grundwasser/Deutschland/grundwasser_deutschland_node.html (last access: 27 September 2026), 2023.
California Environmental Flows Working Group (CEFWG): California Environmental Flows Framework Version 1.0, California Water Quality Monitoring Council Technical Report, https://ceff.ucdavis.edu/sites/g/files/dgvnsk5566/files/media/documents/CEFF Technical Report Ver 1.0 Mar_31_2021_DRAFT_FINAL for web.pdf (last access: 27 September 2026), 2021.
Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD): Climate Data Center (CDC): Gridded precipitation data (1991–2020), https://opendata.dwd.de/climate_environment/CDC (last access: 27 September 2026), 2024.
Dillon, P.: Future management of aquifer recharge, Hydrogeol. J., 23, 1121–1124, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-015-1253-2, 2015.
Dillon, P., Stuyfzand, P., Grischek, T., Lluria, M., Pyne, R. D. G., Tredoux, G., Varma, M. R. R., Wang, W., and Wiese, B.: Sixty years of global progress in managed aquifer recharge, Hydrogeol. J., 27, 1–30, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-018-1841-z, 2019.
European Environment Agency (EEA): Water resources across Europe – confronting water stress, EEA Report No. 12/2021, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, https://doi.org/10.2800/359938, 2021.
European Environment Agency (EEA)/Copernicus: CORINE Land Cover 2018 (100 m, vector and raster), Copernicus Land Monitoring Service, https://doi.org/10.2909/71c95a07-e296-44fc-b22b-415f42acfdf0, 2019.
Ferencz, S. B., Mangel, A., and Day-Lewis, F.: Managed aquifer recharge as a strategy to redistribute excess surface flow to baseflow in snowmelt hydrologic regimes, Front. Water, 6, 1375523, https://doi.org/10.3389/frwa.2024.1375523, 2024.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): Management of gypsiferous soils, FAO Soils Bulletin No. 62, Rome, https://www.fao.org/4/x5869e/x5869e04.htm (last access: 27 September 2026), 1988.
Francke, T. and Heistermann, M.: Groundwater recharge in Brandenburg is declining – but why?, Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 2783–2802, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-25-2783-2025, 2025.
German Environment Agency (UBA): Spree faces increased water shortage after coal phase-out, https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/en/press/pressinformation/spree-faces-increased-water-shortage-after-coal (last access: 27 September 2026), 2023.
German Environment Agency (UBA): Regionale Klimafolgen in Brandenburg, https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/themen/klima-energie/klimafolgen-anpassung/folgen-des-klimawandels/klimafolgen-deutschland/regionale-klimafolgen-in-brandenburg (last access: 27 September 2026), 2025a.
German Environment Agency (UBA): Trockenheit in Deutschland – Fragen und Antworten, https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/themen/wasser/extremereignisseklimawandel/trockenheit-in-deutschland-fragen-antworten (last access: 27 September 2026), 2025b.
Gibson, M. T., Campana, M. E., and Nazy, D.: Estimating Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) Regional and Local Suitability: A Case Study in Washington State, USA, Hydrology, 5, 7, https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology5010007, 2018.
Harbaugh, A. W.: MODFLOW-2005, the U. S. Geological Survey modular ground-water model – The Ground-Water Flow Process, U. S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods 6-A16, https://pubs.usgs.gov/tm/2005/tm6A16/ (last access: 27 September 2026), 2005.
Hellwig, J., de Graaf, I. E. M., Weiler, M., and Stahl, K.: Large-scale assessment of delayed groundwater responses to drought, Water Resour. Res., 56, e2019WR025441, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019WR025441, 2020.
Henao Casas, J. D., Fernández Escalante, E., and Ayuga, F.: Alleviating drought and water scarcity in the Mediterranean region through managed aquifer recharge, Hydrogeol. J., 30, 1685–1699, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-022-02513-5, 2022.
Hersbach, H., Bell, B., Berrisford, P., Hirahara, S., Horányi, A., Muñoz-Sabater, J., Nicolas, J., Peubey, C., Radu, R., Schepers, D., Simmons, A., Soci, C., Abdalla, S., Abellan, X., Balsamo, G., Bechtold, P., Biavati, G., Bidlot, J., Bonavita, M., De Chiara, G., Dahlgren, P., Dee, D., Diamantakis, M., Dragani, R., Flemming, J., Forbes, R., Fuentes, M., Geer, A., Haimberger, L., Healy, S., Hogan, R. J., Hólm, E., Janisková, M., Keeley, S., Laloyaux, P., Lopez, P., Lupu, C., Radnoti, G., de Rosnay, P., Rozum, I., Vamborg, F., Villaume, S., and Thépaut, J.-N.: The ERA5 global reanalysis, Q. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 146, 1999–2049, https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.3803, 2020.
IGRAC: Global Managed Aquifer Recharge Inventory, International Groundwater Resources Assessment Centre, https://un-igrac.org/our-work/activities/global-inventory-of-managed-aquifer-recharge-schemes/ (last access: 27 September 2026), 2025.
Industrie- und Handelskammer Ostbrandenburg (IHK Ostbrandenburg): IHKs: Länderübergreifende Strukturen zentral für zukunftsorientiertes Wassermanagement, https://www.ihk.de/ostbrandenburg/zielgruppeneinstieg-unternehmer/umwelt/wasser-5857192 (last access: 27 September 2026), 2023.
Khalil, K., Khan, Q., and Mohamed, M.: Selection criteria of best sites for aquifer storage and recovery in the Eastern District of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Groundwater for Sustainable Development, 18, 100771, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsd.2022.100771, 2022.
Kocis, T. N. and Dahlke, H. E.: Availability of high-magnitude streamflow for groundwater banking in the Central Valley, California, Environ. Res. Lett., 12, 084009, https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aa7b1b, 2017.
Kosow, H., Brauner, S., Brumme, A., Hauser, W., Hölzlberger, F., Moschner, J., Rübbelke, D., Vögele, S., and Weimer-Jehle, W.: Uncharted water conflicts ahead: mapping the scenario space for Germany in the year 2050, Front. Water, 6, 1492336, https://doi.org/10.3389/frwa.2024.1492336, 2024.
Kreienkamp, F., Früh, B., Kotlarski, S., Linke, C., Olefs, M., Schauser, I., Schinko, T., Schwierz, C., Walter, A., and Zimmer, M.: Empfehlungen für die Charakterisierung ausgewählter Klimaszenarien, Umweltbundesamt, https://pure.iiasa.ac.at/17944 (last access: 27 September 2026), 2022.
Krysanova, V., Wechsung, F., Arnold, J., Srinivasan, R., and Williams, J.: SWIM (Soil and Water Integrated Model): User manual, PIK Report No. 69, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, https://www.pik-potsdam.de/~wortmann/swim/swim_manual.pdf (last access: 27 September 2026), 2022.
Landesamt für Bergbau, Geologie und Rohstoffe Brandenburg (LBGR): Bodenkarte Brandenburg 1:25 000, Landesamt für Bergbau, Geologie und Rohstoffe Brandenburg, Cottbus, https://lbgr.brandenburg.de/ (last access: 27 September 2026), 2024.
Landesamt für Umwelt Brandenburg (LfU): Auskunftsplattform Wasser, https://apw.brandenburg.de (last access: 27 September 2026), 2024.
Lange, S.: Trend-preserving bias adjustment and statistical downscaling with ISIMIP3BASD (v1.0), Geosci. Model Dev., 12, 3055–3070, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-12-3055-2019, 2019.
Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB): The complex issue of drought, https://www.igb-berlin.de/en/news/complex-issue-drought (last access: 27 September 2026), 2025.
Lippstreu, L., Kühner, K., Reichenbacher, B., and Theuerkauf, E.: Zur Schichtenfolge der Spree-Sedimente im Oderbruch, Z. Dtsch. Ges. Geowiss., 166, 347–361, https://doi.org/10.1127/zdgg/2015/0041, 2015.
Manhenke, B.: Hydrostratigrafische Gliederung des nord- und mitteldeutschen känozoischen Lockergesteinsgebietes, Z. Angew. Geol., 47, 146–153, 2001.
Manhenke, V., Hannemann, M., and Rechlin, B.: Gliederung und Bezeichnung der Grundwasserleiterkomplexe im Lockergestein des Landes Brandenburg, Brand. Geowiss. Beitr., 2, 1–25, 1995.
Meles, M. B., Bradford, S. A., Casillas-Trasvina, A., Chen, L., Osterman, G., Hatch, T., Ajami, H., Crompton, O., Levers, L., and Kisekka, I.: Uncovering the gaps in managed aquifer recharge for distributed drought risk reduction, J. Hydrol., 638, 130942, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.130942, 2024.
Meng, F., Khan, M. I., Naqvi, S. A. A., Sarwar, A., Islam, F., Ali, M., Tariq, A., Ullah, S., Soufan, W., and Faraj, T. K.: Identification and mapping of groundwater recharge zones using multi influencing factor and analytical hierarchy process, Sci. Rep.-UK, 14, 19240, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-70324-7, 2024.
Özerol, G., Stein, U., Tröltzsch, J., Landgrebe, R., Szendrenyi, A., and Vidaurre, R.: European drought and water scarcity policies, in: Governance for Drought Resilience: Land and Water Drought Management in Europe, edited by: Bressers, H., Bressers, N., and Larrue, C., Springer, Cham, 17–43, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29671-5_2, 2016.
Page, D., Vanderzalm, J., Toze, S., and Dillon, P.: Risk assessment of aquifer storage transfer and recovery with urban stormwater for producing water of a potable quality, J. Environ. Qual., 47, 1254–1264, https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq2018.01.0036, 2018.
Pohle, I., Zeilfelder, S., Birner, J., and Creutzfeldt, B.: The 2018–2023 drought in Berlin: impacts and analysis of the perspective of water resources management, Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 1293–1313, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-25-1293-2025, 2025.
Pollock, D. W.: User's guide for MODPATH/MODPATH-PLOT: A particle-tracking post-processing package for MODFLOW, U. S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 94-464, https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/1994/0464/report.pdf (last access: 27 September 2026), 1994.
Richter, B. D., Davis, M. M., Apse, C., and Konrad, C.: A presumptive standard for environmental flow protection, River Res. Appl., 28, 1312–1321, https://doi.org/10.1002/rra.1511, 2011.
Ross, A. and Hasnain, S.: Factors affecting the cost of managed aquifer recharge (MAR) schemes, Sustain. Water Resour. Manag., 4, 179–190, https://doi.org/10.1007/s40899-017-0210-8, 2018.
Russo, T. A., Fisher, A. T., and Lockwood, B. S.: Assessment of Managed Aquifer Recharge Site Suitability Using a GIS and Modeling, Groundwater, 53, 269–287, https://doi.org/10.1111/gwat.12213, 2015.
Sallwey, J., Bonilla Valverde, J.P., Vásquez López, F., Junghanns, R., and Stefan, C.: Suitability maps for managed aquifer recharge: a review of multi-criteria decision analysis studies, Environ. Rev., 27, 138–150, https://doi.org/10.1139/er-2018-0069, 2019.
Schmidt, J. C., Webb, R. H., Valdez, R. A., Marzolf, G. R., and Stevens, L. E.: Science and values in river restoration in the Grand Canyon, BioScience, 54, 57–71, https://doi.org/10.2307/1313336, 2004.
Seidl, C., Sprenger, C., and Wang, W.: Understanding the global success criteria for managed aquifer recharge, J. Hydrol., 628, 130411, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2023.130469, 2024.
Shandilya, R. N., Bresciani, E., Runkel, A. C., Jennings, C. E., Lee, S., and Kang, P. K.: Aquifer-scale mapping of injection capacity for potential aquifer storage and recovery sites: Methodology and case studies in Minnesota, USA, J. Hydrol.-Reg. Stud., 42, 101048, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2022.101048, 2022.
Sharma, P., Verma, A., Sharma, A., Verma, P., and Bandyopadhyay, S.: An integrated site selection criterion for aquifer storage and recovery, J. Irrig. Drain. E.-ASCE, 148, 04022009, https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)IR.1943-4774.0001674, 2022.
Sitek, S., Janik, K., Piechota, A., Rubin, H., and Witkowski, A. J.: Application of GIS-MCDA methodology for managed aquifer recharge suitability mapping in Poland, Water-Sui, 18, 219, https://doi.org/10.3390/w18020219, 2026.
Sprenger, C., Hartog, N., Hernández, M., Vilanova, E., Grützmacher, G., Scheibler, F., and Hannappel, S.: Inventory of managed aquifer recharge sites in Europe: Historical development, current situation and perspectives, Hydrogeol. J., 25, 1909–1922, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-017-1554-8, 2017.
Stefan, C. and Ansems, N.: Web-based global inventory of managed aquifer recharge applications, Sustain. Water Resour. Manag., 4, 153–162, https://doi.org/10.1007/s40899-017-0212-6, 2018.
Stein, E. D., Zimmerman, J., Yarnell, S. M., Stanford, B., Lane, B., Taniguchi-Quan, K. T., Obester, A., Grantham, T. E., Lusardi, R. A., and Sandoval-Solis, S.: The California Environmental Flows Framework: Meeting the challenges of developing a large-scale environmental flows program, Front. Environ. Sci., 9, 769943, https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2021.769943, 2021.
Tsypin, M., Cacace, M., Guse, B., Güntner, A., and Scheck-Wenderoth, M.: Modeling the influence of climate on groundwater flow and heat regime in Brandenburg (Germany), Front. Water, 6, 1353394, https://doi.org/10.3389/frwa.2024.1353394, 2024.
Ulibarri, N., Escobedo Garcia, N., Nelson, R. L., Cravens, A. E., and McCarty, R. J.: Assessing the feasibility of managed aquifer recharge in California's sustainable groundwater management, Water Resour. Res., 57, e2020WR029292, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020WR029292, 2021.
Van Loon, A. F.: Hydrological drought explained, WIREs Water, 2, 359–392, https://doi.org/10.1002/wat2.1085, 2015.
Vandala, B. and Mahed, G.: Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) site suitability in the Nelson Mandela Bay: the application of multi-criteria decision analysis techniques, Sustain. Water Resour. Manag., 11, 78, https://doi.org/10.1007/s40899-025-01241-4, 2025.
Vanham, D., Alfieri, L., and Feyen, L.: National water shortage for low to high environmental flow protection, Sci. Rep.-UK, 12, 3225, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-06978-y, 2022.
Vicente-Serrano, S. M., Beguería, S., and López-Moreno, J. I.: A multi-scalar drought index sensitive to global warming: The Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index, J. Climate, 23, 1696–1718, https://doi.org/10.1175/2009JCLI2909.1, 2010.
Wang, W.-S., Oswald, S. E., Gräff, T., Lensing, H.-J., Liu, T., Strasser, D., and Munz, M.: Impact of river reconstruction on groundwater flow during bank filtration assessed by transient three-dimensional modelling of flow and heat transport, Hydrogeol. J., 28, 723–743, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-019-02063-3, 2020.
Yarnell, S. M., Petts, G. E., Schmidt, J. C., Whitelaw, E. D., and Walter, C.: A functional flows approach to selecting ecologically relevant flow metrics for environmental flow applications, River Res. Appl., 36, 318–324, https://doi.org/10.1002/rra.3575, 2020.
Short summary
Facing water scarcity, the Berlin-Brandenburg region explored underground water storage to capture excess surface water during wet periods and store it in deep aquifers for use during droughts. We identified extensive areas suitable for storage and found substantial downstream water availability under ecological flow constraints. The approach could help offset local water demand and provide a cost-effective, transferable strategy for strengthening water security in other water-stressed regions.
Facing water scarcity, the Berlin-Brandenburg region explored underground water storage to...
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint