Karlsruhe (dpa/lsw) - The rainy September has somewhat relaxed the situation in the groundwater reserves in Baden-Württemberg. In October, even rising groundwater conditions are quite possible, according to the new report by the State Institute for the Environment Baden-Württemberg (LUBW) on the groundwater levels and spring discharges on Wednesday. "The groundwater recharge process should pick up speed in a few days to a few weeks - if it continues to rain."

Most of the very heavy precipitation in September fell as heavy rain, about half of it within a few days around the middle of the month, and some of it drained above ground. The experts in Karlsruhe reported that this immediately caused a significant increase in soil moisture. The northern part in particular benefited from this. At a measuring point in Stutensee (Karlsruhe district), for example, the soil water reservoir has recovered significantly by more than 100 liters per square meter - the highest value since recording began in 1993 - and is now well filled. "However, there was no groundwater recharge and signs of relaxation in the groundwater reserves were only observed at the end of the month," it said.

At the beginning of October, the groundwater levels in the southwest were at a low level - mostly in the lower normal range, sometimes below. In particular, the groundwater reserves are significantly lower than in September 2021. LUBW expert Thomas Gudera had said at the end of August in a balance of the drought summer 2022 that the effects of the dry period would only become apparent with a time lag. "The groundwater has a long memory." The dry years from 2018 to 2020 have not yet been completely forgotten. According to him, the hydrological winter half-year (November to April) is particularly important for replenishing the groundwater reserves.