Establish a functional groundwater network that supports collaboration on groundwater-related issues and challenges and makes developed tools and acquired information from the scienctific community visible and and transferred these tools and information into practice!
Groundwater is a valuable resource that must be protected, since in Switzerland ~80% of drinking water is obtained from groundwater (incl. spring water). Particularly powerful groundwater deposits are often located along large river courses, which often represent heavily populated areas of Switzerland. Contamination from various sources, anthropogenic influences on the hydrogeological system, and climate change have a major impact on groundwater quality and quantity. In order to grasp and better understand hydrogeological issues and challenges under the pressure of new developments and to work on missing basics, there is a great need for a continuous competence building, technical support and a smooth Switzerland-wide exchange between research and practice. To make a significant contribution to this, the CH-GNet network was created.
The CH-GNet Advisory board committee consists of:
The scientific core team consists of:
The primary aim of CH-GNet is to publicise existing research in the field of groundwater and related disciplines and to create a forum for exchange, information and networking. We see ourselves as a link between practice-orientated and basic research.
Through the work of the CH-GNet, the current but also future research central questions are to be made "explicit". Information, developed tools and findings from science are processed and made available to practice. This represents a contribution of research and CH-GNet to society. Purely scientific facts are developed for the respective main topics. The support of the practice are central here. In the long run, the visibility of groundwater research and the exchange with practice in Switzerland shall be increased.
New political mandates require the development of new technical principles for the implementation of water protection legislation by the cantons and specialist offices in order to achieve an impact in practice. The Groundwater Protection Platform is developing these principles. The distinction between the Swiss Groundwater Network and the Groundwater Protection Platform is shown in the following diagram.
We invite all members of the Swiss hydrogeology community to take part in this CH- Hydrogeology: Quo vadis...? questionnaire by 28.02.2025.
We would like to know your opinion on the state of groundwater and on possible strategies for better water management and groundwater protection.
The objectives of the survey are to
Your answers will help to assess the challenges and determine where common ground exists in an international context, and to identify opportunities for synergies. By taking part, you will be helping to tackle the main societal and environmental challenges linked to groundwater.
The questionnaire is the result of a workshop organized by the Swiss Groundwater Network (CH-GNet) and the Swiss Hydrogeological Society (SGH).
The special issue "Geothermal energy and groundwater" of the journal Grundwasser is planned for early 2025. The transformation of the energy sector, in particular the provision of heat, is crucial to achieving climate targets. Near-surface and deep geothermal energy can make a significant contribution here. The thermal use of groundwater for cooling and heating in shallow aquifers and deep reservoirs offers great potential for decarbonizing the building sector via district and local heating networks or in individual buildings. Geothermal probes and collectors significantly expand the utilization potential even further, bring geothermal energy to the surface and generally benefit in their efficiency from the influence of groundwater flow. The possibility of thermal storage underground via aquifer storage systems offers additional potential for the heat transition in order to cover peak loads with renewable energy and to make the heat supply more flexible.
Submission of manuscripts by the end of June 2024
- Review and revision of manuscripts by mid-November 2024
- Publication of the special issue in March 2025 (Volume 30, Issue 1)
Position and opinion papers on the topic of
with CH-GNet contribution are online and can be downloaded here.