This is the question that geologists at the University of Graz are currently working on: they are analysing springs in the Alpine region, where the effects of climate change are already clearly being felt and are raising important questions. 

Alpine springs are particularly vital to Austria's water supply during dry periods. Hydrogeologist Gerfried Winkler from the University of Graz and his team have investigated how climate change is affecting their discharge: the discharge volumes of 27 springs in the Austrian Alps were analysed from 1997 to 2022 and compared with weather data.

Climate change clearly perceptible, say researchers

Their findings show that climate change is clearly making its mark: warmer winters have meant that water storage in the mountains is being replenished even during this season. However, due to earlier snowmelt in spring, these reserves are depleting more quickly over the summer: "Autumn is becoming increasingly dry," Winkler summarises. "In general, low water levels are occurring more frequently, particularly in karst regions."

The increased discharge during winter months is likely to benefit electricity generation, whilst the decline in summer could become a long-term problem for drinking water supply and the ecological balance.

Read the article at https://steiermark.orf.at

Publication

Matevz Vremec, Magdalena Seelig, Simon Seelig, Raoul Collenteur, Klaus Haslinger, Thomas Wagner, Jutta Eybl, Gerfried Winkler: Trend analysis of Alpine spring discharge: Interplay between climate and discharge characteristics, Science of the Total Environment 993 (2025).