Inge de Graaf

Inge de Graaf is an Associate Professor in Earth Systems and Global Change at Wageningen University & Research, specializing in hydrology and groundwater modeling. Her research focuses on global water resource challenges under climate change, with particular expertise in groundwater-surface water interactions, river basin management, and sustainable water use.

Her research interests span multiple critical domains of hydrological science:

• Groundwater modeling at continental-to-global scales
• Impacts of land use change (irrigation, deforestation) on hydrological systems
• Climate change effects on water resources and drought dynamics
• Groundwater sustainability and environmental flow thresholds
• Integration of machine learning approaches in hydrological modeling

Analysis of her recent publications reveals strong emphasis on ensemble modeling frameworks (particularly through the ISIMIP Groundwater Sector), development of global datasets like GROW, and practical applications addressing water scarcity in regions including the Lancang-Mekong Basin and the Netherlands. Her work increasingly integrates biogeochemical processes, such as methane emissions from wetlands, into hydrological frameworks.

Dr. de Graaf actively supervises multiple PhD candidates across diverse projects:

• Sustainable Groundwater use and Crop Production (Willard)
• Nature-based flood and drought protection (Chotemankongsin)
• Global Groundwater Sustainability and Quality (Teuling)
• Early warning systems for agricultural production (van Meer)
• Environmental limits to global groundwater (Marinelli)

She maintains significant engagement with policy and public audiences, evidenced by media contributions discussing Dutch drought conditions and global environmental threats. Her research program demonstrates strong integration across academic, practical, and communicative dimensions of contemporary hydrological science.