Research for the Environment

Groundwater is the world´s most important fresh water reservoir. The quality of groundwater is threatened by chemical spills, mining activities and diffuse inputs from urban areas and agricultural activities. Arid areas often suffer from an overuse of groundwater resources. In the Department of Hydrogeology, we are concerned with groundwater dynamics, pollutant transport in groundwater and natural attenuation processes that may reduce pollutant loads. We consider the entire flow paths from infiltration and the water-plant-interface to the interaction of groundwater with rivers and lakes. We develop concepts to protect groundwater from detoriation and for a sustainable use of groundwater with special focus on arid areas.