What is it about?

Groundwater provides drinking water to billions of people, supports nearly half of the world’s irrigation, and sustains rivers, wetlands, and other ecosystems. Yet despite its critical role, groundwater and surface water have historically been managed separately around the world, with legislation often prioritizing surface water. A major obstacle to integrated management is the lack of reliable data. To help close this gap, we developed the Groundwater Well Database for Brazil (GWDBrazil) in collaboration with the Geological Survey of Brazil. GWDBrazil is a harmonized, quality-controlled dataset derived from Geological Survey projects. It consolidates information from more than 351,000 wells, with records spanning 1900–2024, including about 450 wells with continuous daily monitoring from 2010 to 2024. We emphasize that this is a secondary database based on data from the Geological Survey of Brazil database and does not constitute an official repository of the institution. We recommend that all users refer directly to the original databases available on the SGB website: the Integrated Groundwater Monitoring Network Project (https://rimasweb.sgb.gov.br/layout/apresentacao.php) and the Groundwater Information System (https://siagasweb.sgb.gov.br/layout/apresentacao.php). The Geological Survey of Brazil databases are continuously updated and contain more comprehensive information than the database presented here.

Featured Image

Why is it important?

Comprehensive data is essential for addressing critical questions: How does vegetation depend on groundwater during droughts? What are the spatial and temporal patterns of groundwater use? And how do climate events affect groundwater availability? GWDBrazil offers researchers a foundation for investigating these questions, integrating groundwater into hydrological studies, and advancing our understanding of surface–groundwater interactions. Policymakers may also use the dataset to inform evidence-based decisions, guide conservation efforts, and improve resource allocation.

Perspectives

GWDBrazil is not an endpoint but a starting point. It may provide a foundation for incorporating additional well data from universities, private companies, and Brazilian states, many of which already contribute information to the Geological Survey. Expanding such integration would pave the way for a comprehensive and accessible national well database, benefiting both the scientific community and decision-makers.

José Gescilam Sousa Mota Uchôa
Universidade de Sao Paulo Campus de Sao Carlos

Read the Original

This page is a summary of: A groundwater well database for Brazil (GWDBrazil), Scientific Data, September 2025, Springer Science + Business Media,
DOI: 10.1038/s41597-025-05843-7.
You can read the full text:

Read

Resources

Contributors

The following have contributed to this page