Embedded Files
Groundwater is a critical but often invisible component of South Africa's water resources, supplying an estimated 13–15% of total national water use and providing the primary water source for millions of people in rural and peri-urban areas. Stored in aquifers beneath the land surface, groundwater plays an essential role in sustaining baseflow in rivers and wetlands, supporting agriculture, and providing a buffer against surface water scarcity during drought periods. Despite its importance, groundwater in South Africa remains relatively undermonitored and poorly understood compared to surface water resources, and is increasingly under pressure from over-abstraction, contamination, and the impacts of climate change on recharge rates.
The resources below provide access to national groundwater databases, aquifer classification data, reserve determinations, continental mapping tools, satellite-derived groundwater storage anomalies, and leading groundwater modelling platforms used in South Africa and internationally.
Data & Mapping
DWS Groundwater Home The Department of Water and Sanitation's central groundwater portal, providing access to national groundwater data, borehole information, aquifer maps, and policy and regulatory resources.
National Groundwater Archive – Borehole Distribution by WMA An overview of the number of boreholes registered in the National Groundwater Archive (NGA) for each Water Management Area in South Africa.
Groundwater Reserve (DWS NIWIS) Access to Groundwater Reserve determinations — the quantity and quality of groundwater required to protect aquatic ecosystems and meet basic human needs, as mandated by the National Water Act.
Aquifer Classification of South Africa (DWS) A national classification system for South African aquifers, providing spatial data and information on aquifer types, yields, and vulnerability.
Groundwater Mapping for Africa A continental-scale groundwater information platform providing maps, data, and resources relevant to groundwater management across Africa, including South Africa.
Global Groundwater Monitoring Network (GGMN) An international groundwater monitoring network coordinated by UN-IGRAC, providing access to groundwater level data from monitoring stations worldwide.
NASA GRACE Data Analysis Tool A satellite-based tool using gravitational data from the GRACE and GRACE-FO missions to detect changes in groundwater storage over time — a powerful resource for tracking long-term groundwater depletion or recharge trends at regional scale.
Groundwater Modelling
FeFlow (DHI) A widely used commercial software package for simulating groundwater flow and contaminant transport in complex aquifer systems.
MODFLOW (USGS) The US Geological Survey's industry-standard open-source groundwater flow modelling code, used extensively in South African groundwater studies.
Other
GRIP – Groundwater Resources Information Project (WRC) WRC research outputs on groundwater characterisation, management, and protection across South Africa.
IGRAC – International Groundwater Resources Assessment Centre Global groundwater data, tools, and knowledge products including the GGMN and transboundary aquifer resources.
WHYCOS / HYCOS groundwater components Hydrological cycle observing systems with groundwater monitoring components relevant to southern Africa.
Number of boreholes in NGA for different WMAs
Number of boreholes in NGA for different WMAs
https://www.dws.gov.za/Groundwater/data/boreholedist.aspx
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