Improved methods for satellite‐based groundwater storage estimates: A decade of monitoring the high plains aquifer from space and ground observations

Breña-Naranjo, José Agustín; Kendall, A. D.; Hyndman, D. W.

doi:10.1002/2014gl061213

Cited by 60 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 23 publications

(48 reference statements)

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“…GRACE-observed gravity changes can be used to infer terrestrial water storage (TWS, the sum of snow water equivalent, surface water, soil water, and groundwater storage) changes, given that other geophysical causes of gravity change can be estimated and removed (e.g., Wahr et al 2004;Chen et al 2009). As atmospheric and oceanic contributions to gravity change have been removed in GRACE data processing using estimates from numerical models (Bettadpur 2012), over non-glaciated land areas, GRACE-observed mass changes mostly reflect TWS changes. Therefore, when water storage changes in snow, surface water reservoirs, and soil are known, GRACE gravity measurements provide an alternative and complementary tool for quantifying GWS changes over large regions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Groundwater Storage Changes: Present Status from GRACE Observations

Chen

Famigliett

Scanlon

et al. 2016

Space Sciences Series of ISSI

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Satellite gravity measurements from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) provide quantitative measurement of terrestrial water storage (TWS) changes with unprecedented accuracy. Combining GRACE-observed TWS changes and independent estimates of water change in soil and snow and surface reservoirs offers a means for estimating groundwater storage change. Since its launch in March 2002, GRACE time-variable gravity data have been successfully used to quantify long-term groundwater storage changes in different regions over the world, including northwest India, the High Plains Aquifer and the Central Valley in the USA, the North China Plain, Middle East, and southern Murray-Darling Basin in Australia, where groundwater storage has been significantly depleted in recent years (or decades). It is difficult to rely on in situ groundwater measurements for accurate quantification of large, regional-scale groundwater storage changes, especially at long timescales due to inadequate spatial and temporal coverage of in situ data and uncertainties in storage coefficients. The now nearly 13 years of GRACE gravity data provide a successful and unique complementary tool for monitoring and measuring groundwater changes on a global and regional basis. Despite the successful applications of GRACE in studying global groundwater storage change, there are still some major challenges limiting the application and interpretation of GRACE data. In this paper, we present an overview of GRACE applications in groundwater studies and discuss if and how the main challenges to using GRACE data can be addressed.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Groundwater Storage Changes: Present Status from GRACE Observations

Chen

Famigliett

Scanlon

et al. 2016

Space Sciences Series of ISSI

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“…Water level change has been most profound in the SHP and CHP, consistent with other studies and with individual well hydrographs, as well as remotely sensed estimates (Figure ; Breña‐Naranjo et al ). The bulk of the NHP has experienced little net change; much of this area has sparse data availability, and consequently high mean standard deviations relative to the rest of the aquifer (Figure S3).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Water Level Declines in the High Plains Aquifer: Predevelopment to Resource Senescence

2015

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A large imbalance between recharge and water withdrawal has caused vital regions of the High Plains Aquifer (HPA) to experience significant declines in storage. A new predevelopment map coupled with a synthesis of annual water levels demonstrates that aquifer storage has declined by approximately 410 km(3) since the 1930s, a 15% larger decline than previous estimates. If current rates of decline continue, much of the Southern High Plains and parts of the Central High Plains will have insufficient water for irrigation within the next 20 to 30 years, whereas most of the Northern High Plains will experience little change in storage. In the western parts of the Central and northern part of the Southern High Plains, saturated thickness has locally declined by more than 50%, and is currently declining at rates of 10% to 20% of initial thickness per decade. The most agriculturally productive portions of the High Plains will not support irrigated production within a matter of decades without significant changes in management.

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“…For example, specific yields across mixed state aquifers may not allow for the same intensity of irrigation as seen in heavily irrigated states. More humid climates in mixed regions may also be able to tolerate pumping at greater rates due to substantial recharge, as is the case in the Northern High Plains Aquifer relative to the Central and Southern High Plains Aquifer [41,42]. As a result, promoting irrigation in mixed areas that can support high levels of irrigation may be a feasible pathway to help meet future food, fiber, and biofuel demands, as water-stressed regions begin to decline in irrigated production and availability.…”

Section: Coupled Human and Natural Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Increased Dependence on Irrigated Crop Production Across the CONUS (1945–2015)

Smidt

Kendall

Hyndman

2019

Water

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Efficient irrigation technologies, which seem to promise reduced production costs and water consumption in heavily irrigated areas, may instead be driving increased irrigation use in areas that were not traditionally irrigated. As a result, the total dependence on supplemental irrigation for crop production and revenue is steadily increasing across the contiguous United States. Quantifying this dependence has been hampered by a lack of comprehensive irrigated and dryland yield and harvested area data outside of major irrigated regions, despite the importance and long history of irrigation applications in agriculture. This study used a linear regression model to disaggregate lumped agricultural statistics and estimate average irrigated and dryland yields at the state level for five major row crops: corn, cotton, hay, soybeans, and wheat. For 1945-2015, we quantified crop production, irrigation enhancement revenue, and irrigated and dryland areas in both intensively irrigated and marginally-dependent states, where both irrigated and dryland farming practices are implemented. In 2015, we found that irrigating just the five commodity crops enhanced revenue by~$7 billion across all states with irrigation. In states with both irrigated and dryland practices, 23% of total produced area relied on irrigation, resulting in 7% more production than from dryland practices. There was a clear response to increasing biofuel demand, with the addition of more than 3.6 million ha of irrigated corn and soybeans in the last decade in marginally-dependent states. Since 1945, we estimate that yield enhancement due to irrigation has resulted in over $465 billion in increased revenue across the contiguous United States (CONUS). Example applications of this dataset include estimating historical water use, evaluating the effects of environmental policies, developing new resource management strategies, economic risk analyses, and developing tools for farmer decision making.

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Improved methods for satellite‐based groundwater storage estimates: A decade of monitoring the high plains aquifer from space and ground observations

Cited by 60 publications

References 23 publications

Groundwater Storage Changes: Present Status from GRACE Observations

Groundwater Storage Changes: Present Status from GRACE Observations

Water Level Declines in the High Plains Aquifer: Predevelopment to Resource Senescence

Increased Dependence on Irrigated Crop Production Across the CONUS (1945–2015)

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