Groundwater – normal/good levels, but concerns ahead

First annual update of groundwater levels in 2023

A long winter and a spring that never wanted to end…and now early summer all over the country. At last!

It is time for the first groundwater update of the year with data from SGU, and from online Aqvify-wells in private homes, communities and farms.

SGU reports normal to slightly higher groundwater levels for the season in most places. The wells connected with Aqvify also show good levels – we can however see that the groundwater levels actually have started to drop. Some wells have only dropped 20 cm, while others as much as 3 meters.

The last days and weeks reporting in media is however worrying. We need to prepare for a summer that is likely extremly how and dry.

SGU

The long wet spring filled the reservoirs pretty good. SGU report in their very aprechiated “Current groundwater levels“-maps from “normal” to “high” levels for the season in most parts of the country.

See below for the forecast ahead.

SGU: Current groundwater levels week 20 2023

Wells online with Aqvify

The wells connected with Aqvify also show good levels. However, we can see that groundwater levels have started to drop – some wells only 20 cm, while others as much as 3 meters.

The difference between the stable level measured by SGU Ingarö (see graph), and the drop in some of the Aqvify online wells can probably partly be explained by an increase in water use now when cottages are starting to get populated. We also know that each well is unique with its own prerequisites. SGU measures level from wells where there is no water use at all, while Aqvify measures “real” wells that are in use.

The last few days rain is hardly visible in the groundwater levels, which indicates that the ground is overall dry.

Please visit Grundvattenkollen.se to see a selection of the wells.

Forecast of future groundwater levels

How do the groundwater levels look going forward? That is of course the big question. There are some major concerns.

There are many indications for a hot and dry summer – and maybe even to the extreme. The trend is hotter an hotter sumers, mainly due to the climate changes. The weather phenomenon El Nino may also add extra stress on top of that.

El Nino may get particularly strong this year and cause extreme weather, according to experts. Thus, there is an increased risk ranging from droughts like in 2018 to heavy downpours.

Below is the SGU 60 day forecast with diffferent scenarios for dry/normal/wet.

SGU: 60 days forecast at dry/normal/wet conditions, week 20 2023

Bring your well online with Aqvify!

Do you want to use your well sustainable, efficient and with peace of mind? Aqvify provides detailed information easily accessible in our app. Read more here.

NEW! Let Aqvify handle the installation end to end. Read more here.
You can of course also chose to do the installation yourself.