Risk of declining groundwater in Jämtland and Härjedalen - when the climate becomes warmer

Michelle Nygren has studied the relationship between groundwater levels, precipitation and temperature in Sweden and Finland in recent decades.

She has discovered that when the snow melts during the winter, the groundwater levels are not replenished.

- If it is frost, the water on top of the ground flows into lakes and streams instead of going into the ground, says Michelle Nygren to SVT Jämtland.

Increased risk of forest fires

When the climate changes, mild weather and increased precipitation when there is frost in the ground will become more common.

When the summers also become drier, there is a risk that the groundwater levels in Jämtland will decrease.

It can have other consequences.

- Lower groundwater level results in less soil moisture and then increases the risk of forest and land fires, says Michelle Nygren.

Can be counteracted

There are ways to counteract declining groundwater levels.

- You can put stumps and stones in watercourses to reduce the run-off speed and keep the water a little longer, which increases the chance that it can infiltrate, says Michelle Nygren.

Here you can read more about the dissertation.