IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v16y2025i1d10.1038_s41467-025-56525-2.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Rising groundwater table due to restoration projects amplifies earthquake induced liquefaction risk in Beijing

Author

Listed:
  • Yuan Li

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Rui Wang

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Hongbo Ma

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Jian-Min Zhang

    (Tsinghua University)

Abstract

Groundwater restoration is increasingly common to mitigate groundwater overexploitation, which proves effective in resolving urban water scarcity and regional unsustainable development. China’s South-to-North Water Diversion Project is one of the largest water transfer projects to restore groundwater and resolve water shortage in Beijing. However, how the rapidly restored groundwater of this magnitude changes regional seismic stability is largely unknown. Here, we explore the relation between elevated groundwater table and seismic ground liquefaction based on the case of Beijing under the impact of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project. We collect groundwater table depth records and use them to drive three-dimensional geotechnical models that generate ground liquefaction hazard maps. We find a remarkable increase in coverage and severity of liquefaction due to groundwater table rise. Infrastructures built during the rapid urbanization process are often under low groundwater table and thus illy prepared for this increased seismic risk. These findings highlight the necessity to consider the seismic consequence of large-scale groundwater restoration projects.

Suggested Citation

  • Yuan Li & Rui Wang & Hongbo Ma & Jian-Min Zhang, 2025. "Rising groundwater table due to restoration projects amplifies earthquake induced liquefaction risk in Beijing," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-56525-2
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-56525-2
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-56525-2
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-025-56525-2?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Chunyang He & Zhifeng Liu & Jianguo Wu & Xinhao Pan & Zihang Fang & Jingwei Li & Brett A. Bryan, 2021. "Future global urban water scarcity and potential solutions," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Debra Perrone & Scott Jasechko, 2019. "Deeper well drilling an unsustainable stopgap to groundwater depletion," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 2(8), pages 773-782, August.
    3. Richard G. Taylor & Bridget Scanlon & Petra Döll & Matt Rodell & Rens van Beek & Yoshihide Wada & Laurent Longuevergne & Marc Leblanc & James S. Famiglietti & Mike Edmunds & Leonard Konikow & Timothy , 2013. "Ground water and climate change," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 3(4), pages 322-329, April.
    4. Jane Qiu, 2010. "China faces up to groundwater crisis," Nature, Nature, vol. 466(7304), pages 308-308, July.
    5. Di Long & Wenting Yang & Bridget R. Scanlon & Jianshi Zhao & Dagen Liu & Peter Burek & Yun Pan & Liangzhi You & Yoshihide Wada, 2020. "South-to-North Water Diversion stabilizing Beijing’s groundwater levels," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-10, December.
    6. Shah, Tushaar & Molden, David J. & Sakthivadivel, Ramasamy & Seckler, David, 2000. "The global groundwater situation: overview of opportunities and challenges," IWMI Books, International Water Management Institute, number 113506, January.
    7. Md Fahim Hasan & Ryan Smith & Sanaz Vajedian & Rahel Pommerenke & Sayantan Majumdar, 2023. "Global land subsidence mapping reveals widespread loss of aquifer storage capacity," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    8. Scott Jasechko & Hansjörg Seybold & Debra Perrone & Ying Fan & Mohammad Shamsudduha & Richard G. Taylor & Othman Fallatah & James W. Kirchner, 2024. "Rapid groundwater decline and some cases of recovery in aquifers globally," Nature, Nature, vol. 625(7996), pages 715-721, January.
    9. Shah, T. & Molden, D. & Sakthivadivel, R. & Seckler, D., 2000. "The global groundwater situation: overview of opportunities and challenges," IWMI Books, Reports H025885, International Water Management Institute.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Biraj Kanti Mondal & Satiprasad Sahoo, 2022. "Evaluation of spatiotemporal dynamics of water storage changes at block level for sustainable water management in Howrah District of West Bengal," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(7), pages 9519-9568, July.
    2. Yonghong Hao & Bibo Cao & Xiang Chen & Jian Yin & Ronglin Sun & Tian-Chyi Yeh, 2013. "A Piecewise Grey System Model for Study the Effects of Anthropogenic Activities on Karst Hydrological Processes," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 27(5), pages 1207-1220, March.
    3. World Bank, 2010. "Deep Wells and Prudence : Towards Pragmatic Action for Addressing Groundwater Overexploitation in India," World Bank Publications - Reports 2835, The World Bank Group.
    4. Ereney Hadjigeorgalis, 2009. "A Place for Water Markets: Performance and Challenges," Review of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 31(1), pages 50-67.
    5. Lofgren, Hans & Richards, Alan, 2003. "Food security, poverty, and economic policy in the Middle East and North Africa," TMD discussion papers 111, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    6. Neumann, Kathleen & Stehfest, Elke & Verburg, Peter H. & Siebert, Stefan & Müller, Christoph & Veldkamp, Tom, 2011. "Exploring global irrigation patterns: A multilevel modelling approach," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 104(9), pages 703-713.
    7. Son H. Kim & Mohamad Hejazi & Lu Liu & Katherine Calvin & Leon Clarke & Jae Edmonds & Page Kyle & Pralit Patel & Marshall Wise & Evan Davies, 2016. "Balancing global water availability and use at basin scale in an integrated assessment model," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 136(2), pages 217-231, May.
    8. Petheram, C. & McKellar, L. & Holz, L. & Poulton, P. & Podger, S. & Yeates, S., 2016. "Evaluation of the economic feasibility of water harvesting for irrigation in a large semi-arid tropical catchment in northern Australia," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 84-98.
    9. Gorton, Matthew & Sauer, Johannes & Peshevski, Mile & Bosev, Dane & Shekerinov, Darko & Quarrie, Steve, 2009. "Water Communities in the Republic of Macedonia: An Empirical Analysis of Membership Satisfaction and Payment Behavior," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 37(12), pages 1951-1963, December.
    10. Guangyao Chi & Xiaosi Su & Hang Lyu & Guigui Xu & Yiwu Zhang & Ningfei Li, 2021. "Simulating the Shallow Groundwater Level Response to Artificial Recharge and Storage in the Plain Area of the Daqing River Basin, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-17, May.
    11. Molle, Francois & Berkoff, Jeremy (ed.), 2007. "Irrigation water pricing: the gap between theory and practice," IWMI Books, International Water Management Institute, number 137957, January.
    12. Richards, Alan, 2002. "Policy Paper 54: Coping with Water Scarcity: The Governance Challenge," Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation, Working Paper Series qt8941v354, Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation, University of California.
    13. Mohamad Reza Soltanian & Farzad Moeini & Zhenxue Dai & Audrey H. Sawyer & Jan H. Fleckenstein & John Doherty & Zachary Curtis & Abhijit Chaudhuri & Gabriele Chiogna & Marwan Fahs & Weon Shik Han & Zai, 2024. "Sustainability Nexus AID: groundwater," Sustainability Nexus Forum, Springer, vol. 32(1), pages 1-12, December.
    14. Susan Randolph & Patrick Guyer, 2011. "Tracking the Historical Evolution of States' Compliance with their Economics and Social Rights Obligations of Result: Insights from the Historical SERF Index," Economic Rights Working Papers 18, University of Connecticut, Human Rights Institute.
    15. Muhammad Arif Watto & Amin W. Mugera, 2014. "Measuring Production and Irrigation Efficiencies of Rice Farms: Evidence from the Punjab Province, Pakistan," Asian Economic Journal, East Asian Economic Association, vol. 28(3), pages 301-322, September.
    16. Strand, Jon, 2012. "Allocative inefficiencies resulting from subsidies to agricultural electricity use : an illustrative model," Policy Research Working Paper Series 5955, The World Bank.
    17. Tejasvi Chauhan & Anjana Devanand & Mathew Koll Roxy & Karumuri Ashok & Subimal Ghosh, 2023. "River interlinking alters land-atmosphere feedback and changes the Indian summer monsoon," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    18. Bassi, Nitin & Vijayshankar, P. S. & Kumar, M. Dinesh, 2008. "Wells and ill-fare: impacts of well failures on cultivators in hard rock areas of Madhya Pradesh," IWMI Conference Proceedings 245346, International Water Management Institute.
    19. Wassmann, R. & Pathak, H., 2007. "Introducing greenhouse gas mitigation as a development objective in rice-based agriculture: II. Cost-benefit assessment for different technologies, regions and scales," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 94(3), pages 826-840, June.
    20. Muhammad Mohsin Waqas, 2024. "Sustainable Groundwater Management Through Groundwater Irrigation Advisory Application (Giaa)," Big Data In Agriculture (BDA), Zibeline International Publishing, vol. 6(1), pages 54-65, June.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-56525-2. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.