Global Groundwater Modeling and Monitoring: Opportunities and Challenges

Groundwater is by far the largest unfrozen freshwater resource on planet. It plays a critical role as bottom of hydrologic cycle, redistributing water in subsurface and supporting plants surface bodies. However, groundwater has historically been excluded or greatly simplified global models. In recent years, there an international push to develop scale modeling analysis. This progress provided some first steps. Still, much additional work will be needed achieve consistent framework that interacts seamlessly with observational datasets other earth system circulation Here we outline vision for platform monitoring prediction identify key technological data challenges are currently limiting progress. Any this type must interdisciplinary cannot achieved community isolation. Therefore, also provide high-level overview system, approaches current state representations, such readers all backgrounds can engage challenge.