我国疆域辽阔,陆地总面积960万平方公里（960×104km2）各地区的自然条件与水文地质条件互不相同,如南方与北方就存在显著差异。为了查明各地区域水文地质条件与地下水分布情况,在地质矿产部统一领导下,从五十年代开始,就有计划地在全国范围内开展了区域水文地质普查,到目前为止,全国除青藏高原与部分高山、沙漠等困难地区外,2/3以上的地区,都已完成区域性调查。
Since the establishment of New China, great attention has been paid by the government to the investigation of groundwater resource. Regional hydrogeological mapping covers most parts of the territory, and an overall evaluation of groundwater resource has been made. As a result, the total groundwater resource of our country is estimated at about 872 billion m3/a, in which the amounts of porewater, fissurewater and karstic water are calculated separately, and the consumption of groundwater is computed as well. A lot of prospecting work has also been carried out for the development of wtllirrigation as well as for water supply of industrial cities. The extensive work mentioned above has provided a scientific basis for the rational development and utilization of groundwtter resource.According to statistics, 11.3 million ha of arable land are irrigated with water from wells, and the annual exploitation of underground water has reached 40 billion m3. In 27 cities of Nonh China, the output of groundwater reached 6.86 million m3/d, which amounted to 87% of the total water consumed. The distribution and hydrogeological characteristics of groundwater resource in various regions are discussed in this paper, including some environmental hydrogeological problems related to the exploitation and utilization of groundwater. In short, it is evident that groundwater resource plays a significant role in both urban and rural water supply, and in promoting the development of agriculture and industry in our country.
