The characteristics that often make {{Language-box|english_link=Groundwater access |french_link=L'accès aux eaux souterraines |spanish_link=Coming soon|hindi_link=Coming soon|malayalam_link=Coming soon|tamil_link=Coming soon | korean_link=Coming soon | chinese_link=獲取地下水 | indonesian_link=Coming soon | japanese_link= Coming soon}}Rainwater (if given the chance to infiltrate) eventually becomes groundwater attractive include its ubiquitous and perennial presence. Groundwater is advantageous to harvest as it is always accessible (in spite of the timing of the rainy season), has a high storage capacity, with good water quality (usually), resilience is resilient to inter-annual climate variability and has a low cost relative to alternative sources.
However, the height of the water table depends on a lot of factors: type of soils or rock beneath the surface, nearby reservoirs or rivers, and frequency or overall total abstraction of water from populations nearby. Also consider the quality of the groundwater. Is it too salty or near an agricultural runoff or sewage water area? Locate the infiltration or abstraction points where the water is least likely to be affected by pollutants.
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|style="background:#efefef;"|[[Image:riverbed infiltration galleries small.jpg|center|130px100px|link=http://akvo.org/wiki/index.php/Riverbed_infiltration_galleriesRiverbed infiltration galleries]] |style="background:#efefef;"|[[Image:SpringwaterCollecting small.jpg|center|130px100px|link=http:/Water Portal /akvo.orgRainwater Harvesting /wikiSurface water /index.php/Springwater_collectionSpringwater collection | Springwater collection]]|style="background:#efefef;"|[[Image:Subsurface harvesting systems small.jpg|center|130px100px|link=http://akvo.org/wiki/index.php/Subsurface_harvesting_systemsSubsurface harvesting systems]]|style="background:#efefef;"|[[Image:Small rotary machines small.jpg|center|130px100px|link=http://akvo.org/wiki/index.php/Small_rotary_machinesSmall rotary machines]]|style="background:#efefef;"|[[Image:Jetting - Engine powered rotary jetting small.jpg|center|130px100px|link=http://akvo.org/wiki/index.php/Jetting_Jetting -_Engine_powered_rotary_jettingEngine powered rotary jetting]]
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<br>===Field experiences===<br>{|style="border: 2px solid #e0e0e0; width: 20%; text-align: justify; background-color: #e9f5fd;" cellpadding="2"<!--rsr logo here-->|- style="vertical-align: top"|[[Image:akvorsr logo_lite.png|center|60px|link=http://akvo.org/products/rsr/]]<!--project blocks here-->|- style="vertical-align: bottom"|[[Image:project 473.jpg |thumb|center|140px|<font size="2"><center>[http://rsr.akvo.org/project/473/ RSR Project 473]<br>Project Water4Tomorrow</center></font>|link=http://rsr.akvo.org/project/473/ ]] |} <br> ===Groundwater links===* [[Sustainable Sanitation & Groundwater Protection]]* [http://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/key-successfully-managing-groundwater-india The key to successfully managing groundwater in India]* [http://www.nwp.nl/_docs/Smart-solutions-3R.spread.pdf 3R Smart Solutions]* <font size="3">[http://www.bgs.ac.uk/africagroundwateratlas/index.cfm Africa Groundwater Literature Archive]</font>: The Archive is a searchable database of published and unpublished groundwater literature about Africa, including reports, journal articles, conference papers and maps. Many of these documents are freely available to download; for others, a link is provided to the online abstract, or a full bibliographic reference is given where the document is not known to be available online.* VIDEO: [http://www.thewaterchannel.tv/en/videos/categories/viewvideodisplayresults/0?pattern=manual%20drilling&rpp=10&sort=0&ep=&ex= Lots of manual drilling videos]. Produced by UNICEF.* Arjen van der Wal, [http:/889/groundwaterwww.unicef.org/wash/files/how-to-professionalize-the-04.pdf UNDERSTANDING GROUNDWATER & WELLS In Manual Drilling: INSTRUCTION HANDBOOK for manualdrilling teams on hydro-geology for well drilling, well installation and well development]. Practica Foundation. June 2010 (2nd Edition). French version: [http://www.practica.org/wp-sector-in-africa How to Professionalize the Manual Drilling Sector in Africacontent/uploads/services/publications/drilling%20manuals/FR/Understanding%20Groundwater%20%26%20Wells%20PRACTICA%20FR%20June%202010.pdf CONNAISSANCES DES METHODES DE CAPTAGE DES EAUX SOUTERRAINES: appliquées aux forages manuels]. Produced by UNICEF.
* [http://www.bgs.ac.uk/research/groundwater/international/africangroundwater/home.html Groundwater resilience to climate change in Africa.] Keyworth, Nottingham. British Geological Survey 2011.
* [http://www.un-igrac.org/dynamicsresource/modules/SFIL0100/view.php?fil_Id=135 global-overview-saline-groundwater-occurrence-and-genesis-0 Global Overview of Saline Groundwater Occurrence and Genesis.] IGRAC, 2009.* [http://web.archive.org/web/20151106164515/https://www.iaea.org/technicalcooperation/documents/Brochures/sust-groundwater.pdf Sustainable Development of Groundwater Resources in Southern and Eastern Africa.] International Atomic Energy Agency.
* [http://www.rural-water-supply.net/en/resources/details/187 Siting of Drilled Water Wells - A Guide for Project Managers] RWSN Field Note 2010-5 (Cost Effective Boreholes Series). Carter, R., Chilton, J., Danert, K. et al. RWSN. St Gallen, Switzerland 2010.
<br> ===Acknowledgements===* [httphttps://wwwccafs.unecacgiar.org/acpcpublications/about_acpc/policy_documents/papers/WP6management-groundwater-africa-including-transboundary-aquifers-implications-Groundwater%20final%20draftfood#.pdf ViVlZxCrTyI Management of Ground Water in Africa Including Transboundary Aquifers: Implications for Food Security, Livelihood and Climate Change Adaptation.] United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, African Climate Policy Centre, 2011.