Groundwater Quantity Research Articles

Groundwater Recharge and Mixing in Arid and Semiarid Regions: Heihe River Basin, Northwest China

AbstractA sound understanding of groundwater recharged from various sources occurring at different time scales is crucial for water management in arid and semi‐arid river basins. Groundwater recharge sources and their geochemical evolution are investigated for the Heihe River Basin (HRB) in northwest China on the basis of a comprehensive compilation of geochemical and isotopic data. Geochemical mass‐balance modeling indicates that mountain‐block recharge accounts for a small fraction (generally less than 5%) of the shallow and deep groundwater sustaining the oasis, whereas infiltration of rivers and irrigation water contribute most of the groundwater recharge. Dedolomitization is the primary process responsible for the changes in groundwater chemical and carbon isotope compositions from the piedmont to the groundwater discharge zone, where the dedolomitization is very likely enhanced by modern agricultural activities affecting the shallow groundwater quality. Analysis of radioactive isotopes suggests that these primary recharge sources occur at two different time scales. Radiocarbon‐derived groundwater age profiles indicate a recharge rate of approximately 12 mm/year, which probably occurred during 2000–7000 years B.P., corresponding to the mid‐Holocene humid period. The recharge of young groundwater on the tritium‐dated time scale is much higher, about 360 mm/year in the oasis region. Infiltration from irrigation canals and irrigation return flow are the primary contributors to the increased young groundwater recharge. This study suggests that groundwater chemistry in the HRB has been influenced by the complex interaction between natural and human‐induced geochemical processes and that anthropogenic effects have played a more significant role in terms of both groundwater quantity and quality.

Assessment of groundwater quantity and quality and saltwater intrusion in the Damghan basin, Iran

This study describes the groundwater quantity and quality conditions in the Damghan aquifer in Iran. The quantitative analysis of data obtained from observation wells indicates overexploitation of groundwater during recent years, which has resulted in deterioration of water quality. The mean water level has declined about 7.4m between years of 1966 and 2010. The hydrochemical facies of water collected from sampling wells were investigated though Piper and Chadha diagrams, and the general dominant type of water in the study area was determined as Na-Cl. The quality assessment examined the suitability of groundwater for drinking and irrigation purposes. Compared to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for drinking water, all regions were found to have unpotable groundwater. Furthermore, unsuitability of groundwater for agricultural applications due to high salinity was observed through analysis of major quality indicators. The saltwater intrusion was investigated by ionic ratio analyses and was determined to be the main factor contributing to high salinity and deterioration of the groundwater quality in the Damghan basin.

Identification of Artificial Recharge Sites for Noyyal River Basin Using GIS and Remote Sensing

The water is a nature’s valuable gift to all life forms. Water quality and quantity plays a major role for the growth and development of community. Both natural and human factors influence the quality and quantity of water source. Depending upon the quality and quantity of groundwater it can be used for various purposes, such as drinking, agricultural and industrial. Due to revolution in industries and various anthropogenic sources in the past decades, groundwater has been polluted and depleted. Remote sensing and Geographical Information System (GIS) has become one of the leading tools in the field of hydrogeological science, which helps in assessing, monitoring and conserving groundwater resources. GIS technology provides suitable alternatives for efficient management of large and complex databases. In recent years, the increasing use of satellite remote sensing data has made it easier to define the spatial distribution of different groundwater prospect classes on the basis of geomorphology and other associated parameters. Analysis of remotely sensed data along with Survey of India(SOI) topographical sheets and collateral information with necessary field checks helps in generating the base line information for artificial recharge. The artificial recharge sites were identified by integrating thematic maps of geology, geomorphology, slope, drainage density and lineament density of the study area. The study focuses on the development of remote sensing and GIS based analysis and methodology for identifying artificial recharge studies in Noyyal river basin.

Trends analysis of quantitative and qualitative changes in groundwater with considering the autocorrelation coefficients in west of Lake Urmia, Iran

Lake Urmia is known as one of the largest saltwater lakes on earth. In the past decade, the average water level of this lake has decreased significantly and this has endangered its unique ecosystem. As such, the water level and surrounding groundwater level of Lake Urmia are related together. Therefore, investigating the changes in the quality and quantity of groundwater occupies a very important status in planning and managing the water resources in the region. Most studies conducted to analyze time series trends have made use of common non-parametric tests of Mann–Kendall or Spearman’s Rho tests, which do not pay enough attention to the impact of autocorrelation on this domain. Verily, autocorrelation coefficients may leave significant impacts on the trend of qualitative and quantitative changes in groundwater resources. Regarding the present study, quantitative and qualitative parameters of groundwater were analyzed using the common and modified Mann–Kendall test with considering the impact of autocorrelation coefficients. In addition, the values of trend slope were estimated using the Theil–Sen estimator. The results indicated that considering the significant autocorrelation coefficients was essential in assessing time series trend. In addition, regarding the modified Mann–Kendall test as well as the analysis of temporal changes in qualitative parameters of groundwater, it was indicated that values of sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), NA and %NA had ascending trends and the other values had decreasing trends thereof. Regarding the spatial trend, it was found that the parameters of Na, EC, Ca, Mg, anions and cations decreased near Urmia City.

Processes of bedrock groundwater seepage and their effects on soil water fluxes in a foot slope area

Summary The impact of bedrock groundwater seepage on surface hydrological processes in a foot slope area is an important issue in hillslope hydrology. However, properties of water flux vectors around a seepage area are poorly understood because previous studies have lacked sufficient spatial resolution to capture detailed water movements. Here, we conducted hydrometric observations using unprecedented high-resolution and three-dimensional tensiometer nests in the mountainous foot slope area of the Hirudani experimental basin (Japan). Our findings are summarized as follows: (1) a considerable quantity of groundwater seeped from the bedrock surface in the study site. A groundwater exfiltration flux occurred constantly from a seepage area regardless of rainfall conditions. Saturated lateral flow over the bedrock surface occurred constantly in the region downslope of the seepage area. Groundwater was likely to mixed with soil water infiltration and flowed toward the lower end of the slope. (2) During the wet season, the seepage area expanded ∼3 m in the upslope direction along the bedrock valley in a single season. (3) The pressure head waveform observed in the seepage area showed gradual and significant increases after large rainfall events. However, the seepage pressure propagated within a relatively narrow area: a slope distance of ∼4 m from the seepage point in the downslope direction due to the damping of seepage pressure. (4) Within the whole study area, groundwater seeped from a narrow area located at the bottom of the valley line of the bedrock surface. The shape of the seepage area changed along the valley line in the wet season. Overall, we reveal spatial and temporal variations in bedrock groundwater seepage under the soil mantle and the effects on soil water fluxes. These findings should improve the accuracy of models for predicting surface hydrogeomorphological processes in mountainous hillslopes.

Groundwater Quantity and Quality

The world’s population is facing a water crisis, which is expected to worsen dramatically during the 21st century. Problems due to over exploitation of groundwater, as well as from natural and anthropogenic contamination are major challenges facing humanity. This Special Issue contributes a selection of topics on groundwater quantity and quality issues that face different parts of the world.

Energy Options for Water Desalination in UAE

The aridity, population growth, agriculture and industrial activities threaten the water resources in the UAE. In UAE, groundwater quantity is reduced and its quality is also deteriorated due to the scanty of rainfall and over pumping for different uses. The deficit of groundwater is met by desalinated water and reused of treated wastewater. To improve the current water situation, a national water resources strategy has been prepared and implemented to assist in achieve this target and maintain the country's water security. This paper intends to give an overview of non-conventional energy technologies for water desalination. These include solar, fossil fuel, and nuclear technologies. Using simplified score model analysis, options were evaluated for best water uses considering water productivity and environmental sustainability criteria. It was concluded that solar technologies are most effective for water desalination in UAE. However, oil, natural gas and nuclear technologies have low likelihood to be viable in the short term.

Fluoride Concentration in Ground Water Around an Aluminium Smelter Plant (A Case Study) in Angul–Talcher Industrial Belt, Odisha, India

Fluoride is the naturally-occurring stable form of the gaseous element fluorine (F). Fluoride is among the top 15 most abundant components on the Earth’s crust [21] and is naturally found in very small amounts in most aquifers in India [23]. An aquifer is an underground unit of saturated earth materials that can provide usable quantities of ground water to a well [5]. This paper gives the result of fluoride measurement in ground water around a major Aluminium smelter plant in India. The concentration of different water quality parameters like pH, electrical conductivity, total alkalinity, bicarbonate, chloride, nitrate, sulfate, total hardness, total dissolved salts, calcium and magnesium are estimated along with fluoride in ground water. Over 216 water samples are taken for analysis for a period of 12 months. The paper also reports the result of correlation coefficient between different water quality parameters.

Groundwater Deterioration: The Simultaneous Effects of Intense Agricultural Activity and Heavy Metals in Soil

Groundwater deterioration due to agricultural activity is mainly attributed to intense fertilization, groundwater overpumping and seawater intrusion being more pronounced in coastal areas. Irrigation return water is one of the main sources of aquifers enrichment and it is expected to become the main source due to the simultaneous reduction of the amount/frequency of precipitation for many areas in Greece and the Mediterranean. The reduction of groundwater quantity and the simultaneous deterioration due to enhanced concentrations of fertilizer residues, such as nitrates, is well documented. Moreover, heavy metals of both anthropogenic and natural origin may be present in soils where agricultural activity takes place. As a result, groundwater is enriched in soluble species of heavy metals and this enrichment is a serious problem added on top of the above mentioned problems of groundwater deterioration. The relationship between heavy metals mobilization from soils to groundwater and the content of irrigation return water in solutes that influence the generation rates and mobility of heavy metals soluble species are discussed in this work. Data from groundwater samples taken in Psachna, Evia, a region characterized by elevated geogenic Cr in soils and intense agricultural activity, are presented. Two aspects of the problem are discussed: 1. The intense use of ammonium fertilizers: The pH reduction from the nitrification of ammonium fertilizers may be a serious factor influencing Cr(III) mobility. 2. The role of the ionic strength of the water (enhanced concentrations of cations due to seawater intrusion in the aquifer) in the mobility of Cr(III) by mechanisms of cation exchange.

양식장 용수 추가 확보를 위한 수압파쇄 적용성 평가

Feasibility tests for the hydraulic fracturing were conducted in order to secure additional saline groundwater for irrigating to the land-based aquaculture farm. Two boreholes were placed to the aquaculture farm A and B, respectively. A hydraulic fracturing using single packer was applied to major fracture zones within two boreholes. To identify effects of hydraulic fracturing on securing additional saline groundwater, some selective methods including well logging methods, pumping tests, and groundwater quality analysis were commonly applied to the boreholes before and after the hydraulic fracturing. Enlarging/creating fracture zones, increasing water contents in bedrock near boreholes, and increasing transmissivity were observed after the hydraulic fracturing. Even though the hydraulic fracturing could be an alternative to secure additional saline groundwater to the land-based aquaculture farm, salinity of the groundwater did not meet optimal thresholds for each fingerling in two farms: Fresh submarine groundwater discharge flowed the more into borehole of the farm A that resulted in decreasing a salinity value. Increased saline groundwater quantity in the borehole of the farm B rarely affect to the salinity. Although salinity problem of groundwater limited its direct use for the farms, the mixing with seawater could be effectively used for the fingerlings during the early stage. A horizontal radial collector well placed in the alluvial layer could be an alternative for the farms as well.

Hot spring resort development in Laguna Province, Philippines: Challenges in water use regulation

Study regionCalamba and Los Baños in Laguna Province, Philippines lie between the northern part of Mt. Makiling and north shore of Laguna de Bay. Study focusOne significant activity in Laguna province is the development of the water resorts which includes hot springs resorts and spas. Presence of hot springs is due to the geothermal activities in the area. This study seeks to explore the nature and possible impacts of groundwater utilization in hot spring resorts in Calamba and Los Baños in Laguna Province. This study also analyzes the issues and challenges in the implementation of policies and laws to regulate water use in these resorts. New hydrological insights for the regionThese water resorts are estimated to consume large volume of groundwater which could result to over-extraction and decrease in groundwater quantity. However, monitoring and regulation of usage is difficult as most of these resorts operate without water use permits. If groundwater use is left unregulated, water availability for the resorts industry and for domestic, commercial and other uses in the future will be negatively affected. It is necessary to strengthen implementation of laws and enhance partnerships among national and local government agencies, private sector, civil society and communities, in the proper monitoring and regulation of groundwater resources to promote sustainability.

KAJIAN DAERAH TERINTRUSI AIR LAUT DI WILAYAH PESISIR KECAMATAN KUTA UTARA, KABUPATEN BADUNG

The total population of District Kuta Utara 2014 recorded 68.422 people with an average population density of 2,021 people/km2 while the number of tourism accommodation facilities (hotels, villas, restaurants) recorded 399 pieces. The rapid of population growth and the development of tourism accommodation facilities require ground water more increasing. Intake of large amounts of ground water potential to cause pollution/ sea water intrusion. This study aims to determine the quality of the groundwater, knowing distribution maps sea water intrusion and to predict the level of sea water intrusion coming years. This research method uses descriptive quantitative method. Furthermore, to determine the quantity and quality of ground water was measured groundwater levels and analysis of the parameters of temperature, total dissolved solid, pH, chloride, hardness and electrical conductivity of the 60 sample wells. Results of analysis of each of the key parameters that can be mapped and known overlay distribution maps sea water intruded area. The observation of the quantity and quality of groundwater in coastal areas of Kuta Utara subdistrict shows the range of the depth of the ground water level between -5.15 meters to -22.16 meters. Results of the analysis of ground water quality of the 60 groundwater samples showed that there has been a decline in the quality of ground water is as much as 14 samples total dissolved solid (TDS) the highest reaches 1,122 mg/ l, the highest electrical conductivity reached 1,677 ìMhos / cm and the highest chloride reached 532, 5 mg/l. Distribution maps sea water intruded area shows that in coastal areas troubled district of Kuta Utara indicated seawater intrusion, especially in the area of Petitenget and Batubelig, Kerobokan Kelod Village area of 78.44 Ha. Prediction of sea water intrusion in 2022 was highest in the area of tourism accommodation caused by ground water extraction enough much, kind of gray-brown soil regosol has a rough texture and high permeability characteristics so it is easy to pass groundwater.

Evaluation of site and hydrogeochemistry in an urban groundwater source field

Water demand has increased in metropolitan cities due to fast population growth and industrial development. Jilin City, located in the middle of Jilin province, northeast China, has a population of approximately 4.30 million. The main water source for Jilin City is the Songhua River which has a lot of problems. This study aims to determine the appropriate groundwater resource field for Jilin City by groundwater quantity analysis, groundwater quality analysis and multivariate statistical analysis. Results showed that the groundwater quantity in the study area was separated into four main areas. Most of the study areas had good groundwater supplies. The dominant ions were Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, NH4+, NO3−, HCO3− and SO42−. The groundwater types can be classified as Ca–HCO3, Ca + Mg–HCO3, Ca + Na–HCO3, Ca + HCO3–SO4, Ca + Mg–HCO3 + SO4 and Ca + Na–HCO3 + SO4. The regions of groundwater satisfying the groundwater quality standard can be separated into five main areas. Using principal component analysis (PCA), five principal factors were extracted from the dataset. Factor 1 had high positive loadings for most of the major ions (Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+, HCO3− and SO42−) as well as for total hardness (TH) and electrical conductivity (EC), which represents the natural hydro-geochemical evolution of groundwater by groundwater-geological interaction. Factor 2 was dominated by F−, pH and PO43−, which may be due to anthropogenic pollution sources. Factor 3 was dominated by NO2−, NH4+ and NO3−, which may also be due to anthropogenic pollution sources. Factor 4 had a higher loading of chemical oxygen demand (COD), which again may be due to anthropogenic pollution sources. Factor 5 was dominated by Fe and Mn, which are produced by weathering-leaching-dissolution processes. The score values of the principal factors were influenced by urban land use. Chuanying region is the area in which the quality of groundwater is relatively good. It was determined that No. 6 region in Chuanying region is the groundwater resource field which has sufficient good quality water.

Application of remote sensing and GIS for delineating groundwater recharge potential zones of Kovilpatti Municipality, Tamil Nadu using IF technique

During the last three decades, remotely sensed data (both satellite images and aerial photographs) have been increasingly used in groundwater exploration and management exercises. An integrated approach has been adopted in the present study to delineate groundwater recharge potential zones using RS and GIS techniques. IRS-1C satellite imageries and Survey of India toposheets are used to prepare various thematic layers viz. geology, soil, land-use, slope, lineament and drainage. These layers were then transformed in to raster data using feature to raster converter tool in ArcGIS 9.3 software. The raster maps of these factors are allocated a fixed score and weight computed from Influencing Factor (IF) technique. The weights of factors contributing to the groundwater recharge are derived using aerial photos, geology maps, a land use database, and field verification. Subjective weights are assigned to the respective thematic layers and overlaid in GIS platform for the identification of potential groundwater recharge zones within the study area. Then these potential zones were categories as ‘high’, ‘moderate’, ‘low’, ‘poor’. The resulted map shows that 19 % of the area has highest recharge potential, mainly confined to buried pediplain, agriculture land-use and river terraces (considerable amount of precipitated water percolates into subsurface), 28 % of the area has moderate groundwater recharge potentiality and rest of the area has low to poor recharge potentiality. The residual hills and linear ridges with steep slopes are not suitable for artificial recharge sites. Finally, 13 % of total average annual precipitated water (840 mm) percolates downward and ultimately contributes to recharge the aquifers in the Kovilpatti Municipality area. The paper is an attempt to suggest for maintaining the proper balance between the groundwater quantity and its exploitation.

Coalbed methane-produced water quality and its management options in Raniganj Basin, West Bengal, India

Coalbed methane (CBM) recovery is associated with production of large quantity of groundwater. The coal seams are depressurized by pumping of water for regular and consistent gas production. Usually, CBM operators need to pump >10 m3 of water per day from one well, which depends on the aquifer characteristics, drainage and recharge pattern. In India, 32 CBM blocks have been awarded for exploration and production, out of which six blocks are commercially producing methane gas at 0.5 million metric standard cubic feet per day. Large amount of water is being produced from CBM producing blocks, but no specific information or data are available for geochemical properties of CBM-produced water and its suitable disposal or utilization options for better management. CBM operators are in infancy and searching for the suitable solutions for optimal management of produced water. CBM- and mine-produced water needs to be handled considering its physical and geochemical assessment, because it may have environmental as well as long-term impact on aquifer. Investigations were carried out to evaluate geochemical and hydrogeological conditions of CBM blocks in Raniganj Basin. Totally, 15 water samples from CBM well head and nine water samples from mine disposal head were collected from Raniganj Basin. The chemical signature of produced water reveals high sodium and bicarbonate concentrations with low calcium and magnesium, and very low sulphate in CBM water. It is comprehend that CBM water is mainly of Na–HCO3 type and coal mine water is of Ca–Mg–SO4 and HCO3–Cl–SO4 type. The comparative studies are also carried out for CBM- and mine-produced water considering the geochemical properties, aquifer type, depth of occurrence and lithological formations. Suitable options like impounding, reverse osmosis, irrigation and industrial use after prerequisite treatments are suggested. However, use of this huge volume of CBM- and mine-produced water for irrigation or other beneficial purposes may require careful management based on water pH, EC, TDS, alkalinity, bicarbonate, sodium, fluoride, metals content and SAR values.

Detecting a Defective Casing Seal at the Top of a Bedrock Aquifer.

An improperly sealed casing can produce a direct hydraulic connection between two or more originally isolated aquifers with important consequences regarding groundwater quantity and quality. A recent study by Richard et al. (2014) investigated a monitoring well installed in a fractured rock aquifer with a defective casing seal at the soil-bedrock interface. A hydraulic short circuit was detected that produced some leakage between the rock and the overlying deposits. A falling-head permeability test performed in this well showed that the usual method of data interpretation is not valid in this particular case due to the presence of a piezometric error. This error is the direct result of the preferential flow originating from the hydraulic short circuit and the subsequent re-equilibration of the piezometric levels of both aquifers in the vicinity of the inlet and the outlet of the defective seal. Numerical simulations of groundwater circulation around the well support the observed impact of the hydraulic short circuit on the results of the falling-head permeability test. These observations demonstrate that a properly designed falling-head permeability test may be useful in the detection of defective casing seals.

Groundwater Quantity and Quality Issues in a Water-Rich Region: Examples from Wisconsin, USA

The State of Wisconsin is located in an unusually water-rich portion of the world in the western part of the Great Lakes region of North America. This article presents an overview of the major groundwater quantity and quality concerns for this region in a geologic context. The water quantity concerns are most prominent in the central sand plain region and portions of a Paleozoic confined sandstone aquifer in eastern Wisconsin. Water quality concerns are more varied, with significant impacts from both naturally occurring inorganic contaminants and anthropogenic sources. Naturally occurring contaminants include radium, arsenic and associated heavy metals, fluoride, strontium, and others. Anthropogenic contaminants include nitrate, bacteria, viruses, as well as endocrine disrupting compounds. Groundwater quality in the region is highly dependent upon local geology and land use, but water bearing geologic units of all ages, Precambrian through Quaternary, are impacted by at least one kind of contaminant.

Transboundary groundwater governance in the Guarani Aquifer System: reflections from a survey of global and regional experts

To understand transboundary groundwater governance in the South American Guarani Aquifer System, we surveyed global and regional experts about the region’s groundwater quantity and quality, ownership and rights, and regulation and administration. Respondents (1) perceived groundwater quality and withdrawal as under-regulated, and relevant information and data as inadequate; (2) suggested that contamination and overdrafting remain mostly incipient and localized along international borders; and (3) viewed groundwater as a shared resource administered by the state for the public, rather than as private property. Respondents suggested that while there is progress towards implementing a formal transboundary aquifer agreement, local-to-national-scale governance is important.

Integrated assessment of the impact of climate and land use changes on groundwater quantity and quality in the Mancha Oriental system (Spain)

Abstract. Climate and land use change (global change) impacts on groundwater systems cannot be studied in isolation. Land use and land cover (LULC) changes have a great impact on the water cycle and contaminant production and transport. Groundwater flow and storage are changing in response not only to climatic changes but also to human impacts on land uses and demands, which will alter the hydrologic cycle and subsequently impact the quantity and quality of regional water systems. Predicting groundwater recharge and discharge conditions under future climate and land use changes is essential for integrated water management and adaptation. In the Mancha Oriental system (MOS), one of the largest groundwater bodies in Spain, the transformation from dry to irrigated lands during the last decades has led to a significant drop of the groundwater table, with the consequent effect on stream–aquifer interaction in the connected Jucar River. Understanding the spatial and temporal distribution of water quantity and water quality is essential for a proper management of the system. On the one hand, streamflow depletion is compromising the dependent ecosystems and the supply to the downstream demands, provoking a complex management issue. On the other hand, the intense use of fertilizer in agriculture is leading to locally high groundwater nitrate concentrations. In this paper we analyze the potential impacts of climate and land use change in the system by using an integrated modeling framework that consists in sequentially coupling a watershed agriculturally based hydrological model (Soil and Water Assessment Tool, SWAT) with a groundwater flow model developed in MODFLOW, and with a nitrate mass-transport model in MT3DMS. SWAT model outputs (mainly groundwater recharge and pumping, considering new irrigation needs under changing evapotranspiration (ET) and precipitation) are used as MODFLOW inputs to simulate changes in groundwater flow and storage and impacts on stream–aquifer interaction. SWAT and MODFLOW outputs (nitrate loads from SWAT, groundwater velocity field from MODFLOW) are used as MT3DMS inputs for assessing the fate and transport of nitrate leached from the topsoil. Three climate change scenarios have been considered, corresponding to three different general circulation models (GCMs) for emission scenario A1B that covers the control period, and short-, medium- and long-term future periods. A multi-temporal analysis of LULC change was carried out, helped by the study of historical trends (from remote-sensing images) and key driving forces to explain LULC transitions. Markov chains and European scenarios and projections were used to quantify trends in the future. The cellular automata technique was applied for stochastic modeling future LULC maps. Simulated values of river discharge, crop yields, groundwater levels and nitrate concentrations fit well to the observed ones. The results show the response of groundwater quantity and quality (nitrate pollution) to climate and land use changes, with decreasing groundwater recharge and an increase in nitrate concentrations. The sequential modeling chain has been proven to be a valuable assessment tool for supporting the development of sustainable management strategies.

A continental-scale hydrology and water quality model for Europe: Calibration and uncertainty of a high-resolution large-scale SWAT model

Summary A combination of driving forces are increasing pressure on local, national, and regional water supplies needed for irrigation, energy production, industrial uses, domestic purposes, and the environment. In many parts of Europe groundwater quantity, and in particular quality, have come under sever degradation and water levels have decreased resulting in negative environmental impacts. Rapid improvements in the economy of the eastern European block of countries and uncertainties with regard to freshwater availability create challenges for water managers. At the same time, climate change adds a new level of uncertainty with regard to freshwater supplies. In this research we build and calibrate an integrated hydrological model of Europe using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) program. Different components of water resources are simulated and crop yield and water quality are considered at the Hydrological Response Unit (HRU) level. The water resources are quantified at subbasin level with monthly time intervals. Leaching of nitrate into groundwater is also simulated at a finer spatial level (HRU). The use of large-scale, high-resolution water resources models enables consistent and comprehensive examination of integrated system behavior through physically-based, data-driven simulation. In this article we discuss issues with data availability, calibration of large-scale distributed models, and outline procedures for model calibration and uncertainty analysis. The calibrated model and results provide information support to the European Water Framework Directive and lay the basis for further assessment of the impact of climate change on water availability and quality. The approach and methods developed are general and can be applied to any large region around the world.