Managing the future of groundwater in Belize

Belize, once considered water-rich with abundant rivers, wetlands, and aquifers, now faces growing pressure on its groundwater. Groundwater supplies drinking water for 60% of Belizeans and supports biodiversity and a growing ecotourism sector. However, population growth and agricultural expansion have increased this pressure. Limited monitoring of aquifers and groundwater use, along with a sharp rise in fertiliser and pesticide use, threaten groundwater quality.

Severe droughts in 2019 and 2021 worsened these issues, causing low flows and eutrophication in the New River in northern Belize, endangering ecosystems. Climate change projections indicate hotter, drier conditions in future, reducing groundwater recharge, and increasing water demand especially for agriculture. This highlights the need for enhanced monitoring and management of groundwater resources. 

HR Wallingford designed a groundwater monitoring and management system for the New River catchment in Belize that includes long term management and upscaling to the national level over time. The project, funded by the United Nations Climate Technology Centre & Network, was implemented by the Belize National Hydrological Service and National Climate Change Office.

The monitoring system was designed to meet the needs of users, while being financially and technically sustainable. Users have been at the centre of the consultation process which has been an important part of the design. It was also important to hear from organisations in the region which had implemented similar systems, and learn from their lessons. 

While sophisticated automatic monitoring systems with dataloggers and telemetry systems provide a high level of control and autonomy, sustaining the funding and expertise to keep them running is often a challenge. Community based monitoring of groundwater systems offers a simpler solution, which also engages communities in water management, but this comes with its own challenges. The system design in Belize uses a mixture of automatic and manual community based monitoring stations to balance the benefits and risks.

The next steps include installing the system in northern Belize, followed by learning, adapting, and scaling it nationally, supported by the National Hydrological Service’s commitment and a growing awareness of groundwater’s importance to Belize’s future.