On 21 September 2026, Judit Mádl-Szőnyi, Professor at Eötvös Loránd University, gave an invited lecture at the scientific event “Chemical Environmental Risk Factors and Their Impacts”, organised by the Section of Chemical Sciences of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.
Her lecture, entitled “Groundwater replenishment and water management in the Carpathian Basin: risks and opportunities”, addressed the changing water cycle of the Carpathian Basin and the role of groundwater in climate adaptation.
A central message of the presentation was that the visible impacts of drought and water scarcity cannot be understood by looking only at surface waters. Groundwater flow systems connect recharge areas, wetlands, lakes, agricultural areas and other parts of the landscape, while transporting both water and dissolved substances. Changes in recharge can therefore affect not only groundwater levels, but also water quality, groundwater-dependent ecosystems and the functioning of the entire flow system.
NaBa-MAR® as a key ClimEx-PE approach
A major focus of the lecture was NaBa-MAR® – Nature-Based Managed Aquifer Recharge, the groundwater-flow-based approach developed and advanced within the ClimEx-PE project.
NaBa-MAR® goes beyond conventional Managed Aquifer Recharge by explicitly considering what happens to the recharged water after it enters the subsurface. The added water becomes part of the natural groundwater flow system, moves along existing flow paths, undergoes hydrochemical evolution and may generate effects well beyond the recharge location. The concept therefore links recharge design to the functioning of the groundwater flow system and introduces both quantitative and qualitative control into water-replenishment planning.
At landscape scale, this means that recharge cannot be planned only according to where infiltration is technically possible. Geological setting, permeability, groundwater depth, aquifer geometry, groundwater-flow direction, recharge and discharge areas, as well as the quality of both the original groundwater and the recharge water, must also be considered.
The presentation illustrated this approach through practical examples, including canal–groundwater interactions and the use of rooftop rainwater for groundwater replenishment. These examples demonstrated that recharge measures can create both opportunities and risks: they may support groundwater levels and improve water availability, but their efficiency and water-quality impacts depend strongly on local hydrogeological conditions and on the quality of the source water.
Contribution to ClimEx-PE
The lecture directly supported the objectives of ClimEx-PE by bringing together several core elements of the project: groundwater-flow-system research, MAR planning, water-quality considerations, landscape-scale assessment and public engagement.
Presenting NaBa-MAR® in the interdisciplinary setting of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences helped connect hydrogeological research with broader discussions on chemical environmental risks, climate adaptation and sustainable water management. This is particularly relevant for ClimEx-PE, where the scientific development of groundwater-based solutions is closely linked to knowledge transfer and societal awareness.
The presentation also emphasised that implementation requires more than technical knowledge. Continued research and knowledge development, public awareness and engagement, and appropriate regulatory and decision-making frameworks are all necessary if groundwater-based adaptation measures are to move from research into practice.
The scientific programme concluded with a roundtable discussion on environmental risks and possible responses, providing a broader forum for connecting scientific evidence with societal and policy perspectives.