climate variability

Periodic climate variability, such as that caused by climate teleconnections, can significantly impact groundwater, and the ability to predict groundwater variability in space and time is critical for effective water resource management. However, the relationship between climate variability on a global scale and groundwater recharge and levels remains poorly understood due to incomplete groundwater records and anthropogenic impacts.

South Africa's water legislation of has often been deemed 'progressive', yet implementation of policies can be weak in terms of groundwater - a resource inherently more difficult to govern than surface water due to its invisibility, difficulties in mapping, the long timescales involved and its ties to land tenure. Furthermore, shallow, hard rock aquifers are frequently perceived as "self-controlling" by their users and thus not requiring active management.