WSP Hydrogeologists discuss importance of groundwater

To commemorate World Water Day, WSP interviewed groundwater expert Doctor John Cherry to get his informed take on this essential and critical resource.

Additionally, women Hydrogeologists at WSP outlined what they enjoy about working in the field of hydrogeology.

Groundwater is a precious resource

"Many countries are facing historic levels of drought, leaving groundwater as the only source of freshwater, fundamentally exacerbating water scarcity and leaving humanity with a severe food crisis if left unchecked. Our unsustainable use of groundwater as a resource is creating a global crisis on par with climate change, but the issues are largely invisible to most and need urgent global attention on an unprecedented scale," explains Doctor John Cherry.

WSP Golder was one of the first consulting firms to help fund the GW-Project, a charitable organization dedicated to making the vulnerabilities of our groundwater resource visible and providing the educational tools to better manage this resource. Dr. John Cherry, leader of the GW-Project, has been inspiring hydrogeologists to take up this challenge throughout his career. He is the recipient of the Stockholm Water Prize (2020) and the Lee Kwan Yew Water Prize (2016).

Why is groundwater important to humanity?

“Groundwater makes up 99% of our planet’s freshwater. Half of humanity lives in areas that suffer from severe physical water scarcity, and yet, beyond the expert community, there’s little understanding of this precious resource,” says Dr john Cherry. “Our continents are drying. Too much of the water we take from our aquifers (groundwater reservoirs) is not getting replaced but is instead being drained to the oceans due to urbanization of the land and deterioration of soils, transferred to a warming atmosphere that can hold more humidity, and shipped through the global food distribution system. Drought is global; therefore, a global food crisis is coming, primarily groundwater related,” he explains.

Unsustainable use of groundwater is creating a global crisis

Many countries are facing historic levels of drought, leaving groundwater as the only source of freshwater, fundamentally exacerbating water scarcity and leaving humanity with a severe food crisis if left unchecked. The unsustainable use of groundwater as a resource is creating a global crisis on par with climate change, but the issues are largely invisible to most and need urgent global attention on an unprecedented scale.

Making the invisible, visible

“Groundwater is an invisible resource but fundamental for our lives. It’s the hydrogeologist’s job to investigate it and to allow the communities to protect it,” comments Thomas Eckhardt, Technical Director, Hydrogeology UK.

Ray Hatley, WSP’s Capability Executive for Hydrogeology, is passionate about applying a better forward-thinking approach, coupled with smarter predictive technologies to achieve better outcomes for WSP’s clients and communities. ”Groundwater is one of our most important natural resources and critical for water resilience,” explains Ray.

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