Abstract <p>The problem of desertification is one of the most pressing modern environmental problems in the world. In the context of increasing changes in climatic conditions and the progressive expansion of the desert areas of the arid zone, the depletion of fresh artesian water reserves, the deterioration of their quality, the drop in pressure in aquifers, flooding, salinization, and pollution of artesian lands cause significant damage to the geoecology of the Caspian basin. There is no alternative to the use of fresh groundwater in arid deserts and semi-deserts where there are no reserves of surface water. The relevance of the research conducted in the conditions of the arid ecosystems of the region is beyond doubt. The long-term intensive exploitation of the North Dagestan artesian basin in the last century and the increase in uncontrolled extraction of groundwater from wells abandoned in the post-Soviet period and newly drilled in an “ownerless” manner worsens the environmental situation in the region. Under these conditions, the study of the groundwater regime and its potential for the purposes of irrigation of soils of arid ecosystems of the region acquires particular importance. This paper provides an overview of the results of previous studies, an analysis of newly obtained results, and recommendations for the implementation of further research on the stated topic. The analysis of the conducted studies of hydrogeological conditions and the assessment of the potential of groundwater in the region can become the basis for conducting an inventory of groundwater resources, extracting artesian water and establishing water consumption standards for populated areas of the region and for the purposes of irrigating the soils of arid ecosystems, as well as the creation and rational placement of a network of stationary reference observation points in the study area and the organization of regional monitoring of the groundwater regime.</p>