Comparison of seasonal terrestrial water storage variations from GRACE with groundwater-level measurements from the High Plains Aquifer (USA)

• Published in: Geophysical research letters Vol. 34; no. 14; pp. L14402 - n/a
• Main Authors: Strassberg, Gil, Scanlon, Bridget R., Rodell, Matthew
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Geophysical Union 01.07.2007; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; GRACE; groundwater; Groundwater hydrology; Hydrogeophysics; Hydrological cycles and budgets; Hydrology; Remote sensing; terrestrial water storage; United States; High Plains Aquifer; USA, Wyoming, High Plains; GRACE; groundwater; terrestrial water storage; satellites; models; soil moisture; springs; ground water; water table; Summer; North America; irrigation; water storage; correlation; Winter; Ground surface; Semi arid zone; Spring(season)
• ISSN: 0094-8276; 1944-8007
• DOI: 10.1029/2007GL030139

This study presents the first comparison of seasonal groundwater storage (GWS) variations derived from GRACE satellite data with groundwater‐level measurements in the High Plains Aquifer, USA (450,000 km2). Correlation between seasonal GRACE terrestrial water storage (TWS) and the sum of GWS estimated from field measurements (2,700 wells) and soil moisture (SM) simulated by a land surface model is high (R = 0.82). Correlation between GRACE‐derived and measured GWS is also significant (R = 0.58). Seasonal GRACE‐derived TWS and GWS changes were detectable (≥ uncertainty) in 7 and 5 out of 9 monitored periods respectively whereas maximum changes (between winter/spring and summer/fall) in TWS and GWS were detectable in all 5 monitored periods. These results show the potential for GRACE to monitor GWS changes in semiarid regions where irrigation pumpage causes large seasonal GWS variations.