Groundwater Volume Loss in Mexico City Constrained by InSAR and GRACE Observations and Mechanical Models

Abstract

Groundwater withdrawal can cause localized and rapid poroelastic subsidence, spatially broad elastic uplift of low amplitude, and changes in the gravity field. Constraining groundwater loss in Mexico City, we analyze data from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment and its follow‐on mission (GRACE/FO) and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Sentinel‐1A/B images between 2014 and 2021. GRACE/FO observations yield a groundwater loss of 0.85–3.87 km3/yr for a region of ∼300 × 600 km surrounding Mexico City. Using the high‐resolution interferometric SAR data set, we measure >35 cm/yr subsidence within the city and up to 2 cm/yr of uplift in nearby areas. Attributing the long‐term subsidence to poroelastic aquifer compaction and the long‐term uplift to elastic unloading, we apply respective models informed by local geology, yielding groundwater loss of 0.86–12.57 km3/yr. Our results suggest Mexico City aquifers have been depleting at faster rates since 2015, exacerbating the socioeconomic and health impacts of long‐term groundwater overdrafts.

Water Storage Variations Recovered from Global Navigation Satellite System Network Using Spatial Constraints: A Case Study of the Contiguous United States

“…We use MATLAB's lsqlin routine to solve Equation ( 15) following Khorrami et al [60], which represents a constrained least squares adjustment. We choose the 'interior-point' algorithm in the lsqlin routine, where the lower and upper bounds of x are set to be −0.5 m and 0.5 m, respectively, the lower and upper bounds of y are set to be 0 and 2•e, respectively, and the initial points of x and y are set to be 0.…”

A hydromechanical EFG-based Model for Numerical Simulation of Land Subsidence Induced by Groundwater Extraction in Anisotropic Aquifers

“…Global studies underscore the significant contribution of groundwater-level decline to ground surface displacement. Examples such as Las Vegas Valley (Bell et al, 2002), Mexico City (Khorrami et al, 2023), Antelope Valley (Siade et al, 2014), Coastal City of Lagos (Ohenhen & Shirzaei, 2022), Jakarta Metropolitan Area (Abidin et al, 2004), and Mashhad City (Khorrami et al, 2020) emphasize the necessity of scrutinizing land subsidence modeling in research. In certain cases, like Memphis, significant decreases in groundwater levels do not manifest noticeable subsidence, which is potentially attributed to high reservoir density or the presence of rock reservoirs (Poland & Davis, 1969).…”