What is groundwater and why is it so important?

Groundwater constitutes nearly all of the world's liquid freshwater and is essential for drinking water, agriculture, and maintaining river flows. In the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo basin, groundwater is critically overdrawn and endangered by climate change and population growth, leading to initiatives like WWF-Mexico's nature-based aquifer recharge projects.

• Groundwater is the primary source of the world's liquid freshwater, stored in aquifers consisting of permeable rock or sediment. It is essential for replenishing surface water bodies like rivers and lakes, ensuring they continue to flow.
• In the United States, nearly half of the population relies on groundwater for drinking, though its primary application is for agricultural production and crop irrigation.
• The Rio Grande/Rio Bravo (RGRB) river basin is critically dependent on groundwater, with over 16 million people relying on the resource. In the Big Bend region, groundwater provides more than 50% of river flow during low-volume months and supports critical wetlands and springs for migratory birds and biodiversity.
• Groundwater resources in the RGRB are severely endangered due to over-allocation of surface water (150%) and overdrawing of aquifers. The river has lost about 90% of its historic flows, driven by population growth in border cities and climate change.
• Groundwater can be replenished naturally via precipitation or artificially through nature-based solutions. WWF-Mexico has implemented an Aquifer Recharge project in the RGRB using rainwater capture and ground infiltration to stabilize usage and build climate resilience.

APA

WWF International (n.d.). What is groundwater and why is it so important? https://www.worldwildlife.org/resources/explainers/what-is-groundwater-and-why-is-it-so-important/

Chicago

WWF International. What is groundwater and why is it so important? n.d. https://www.worldwildlife.org/resources/explainers/what-is-groundwater-and-why-is-it-so-important/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=What is groundwater and why is it so important? |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/resources/explainers/what-is-groundwater-and-why-is-it-so-important/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternationalndwhat, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{What is groundwater and why is it so important?}}, institution = {WWF International}, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/resources/explainers/what-is-groundwater-and-why-is-it-so-important/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }