Comprehensive evaluation of the effect of regional groundwater overexploitation restoration

Abstract The traditional groundwater overexploitation restoration only considers the impact on groundwater, on the basis of which, this paper also comprehensively considers the impact on economic society and the ecological environment. Based on analyzing the effect of groundwater overexploitation restoration on the groundwater–economic society–ecological environment (GESEE) system, an evaluation indicator system covering the GESEE system was constructed, an evaluation method for the effect of groundwater overexploitation restoration was established, and the effects were evaluated for Hebei Province, China, from 2014 to 2019. The results showed that the effect of groundwater overexploitation restoration in Hebei Province was obvious, and the grade of the groundwater overexploitation restoration effect improved from fair to good. The grade of the groundwater overexploitation restoration effect in most cities was improved to good. The measures that most affected the effect of groundwater overexploitation restoration in Hebei Province are strict control of extraction and reduction of consumption, while measures such as the replacement of water sources also play a significant role. An evaluation indicator system constructed in this paper can help to promote sophisticated effect evaluation of groundwater overexploitation restoration and improve the understanding and management of groundwater overexploitation restoration.