General goals

Groundwater under pressure

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.



Goals

Main goal

  • Tools developed and information gained from science are to be made visible and transferred into practice.
  • To coordinate and promote practice-oriented research.



Further goals

  • To process information and findings from science and make them available to practice. Achieve strong practice-oriented research by investigating groundwater-related problems and developing principles for practice.
  • Organize workshops, webinars, and continuing education.
  • Promote continuous skill building and a smooth exchange of information.
  • Contact point for concerns of the practice to the 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.

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      Special issue "Groundwater and Agriculture"

      I am pleased to inform you that the special issue "Groundwater and Agriculture" launched by CH-GNet is now online and the contributions can be downloaded here. The special issue was led by guest editors Dr. Andreas Musolff, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) and Christian Moeck, Eawag.

      Articles:

      • Editorial: Grundwasser und Landwirtschaft – besser miteinander als gegeneinander
      • Groundwater nitrate problem and countermeasures in strongly affected EU countries – a comparison between Germany, Denmark and Ireland
      • Microplastic and nanoplastic in agriculture – a potential source of soil and groundwater contamination?
      • Landwirtschaftlicher Gunststandort Mecklenburg-Vorpommern – Eine Herausforderung für die Trinkwasserversorgung
      • High-resolution monitoring of groundwater quality in unconsolidated aquifers using UV-Vis spectrometry
      • Verteilung von Nitrat und organischen Mikroschadstoffen in landwirtschaftlich genutzten Böden
      • Regionale Dynamik der Pestizid-Konzentration unterhalb der Wurzelzone
      • Hydrogeologische Notizen inklusive der Buchbesprechung «DWA-Themenband: Auswirkungen von landwirtschaftlichen Maßnahmen auf die Beschaffenheit des Sicker- und Grundwassers» 

      Announcements & events

      Courses, Workshops, Conferences, Talks: