The relationship between current and paleo groundwater base-levels

Abstract Base-levels are basically divided into two categories: oceanic and marine base-levels and continental terminal endorheic ones. The marine domain serves as the ultimate base- level for both surface and groundwater drainage systems. Continental inland depressions very often serve as terminal endorheic base-levels to both surface drainage and groundwater systems. Many of the current, both marine and inland, base-levels served also in the past as paleo base-levels. Fluctuations of base-level elevations affect the adjoined groundwater system in several ways such as changes in groundwater levels, location of divides, depths of fresh-saline water interfaces and the amount of flow to the base-levels. This paper provides examples from many different parts of the world that describe the relationship between current and paleo base-levels. The examples include marine base-levels as well as inland endorheic ones, both currently above and below sea level, close to and distant from the sea.