Groundwater storage dynamics in the world's large aquifer systems 
from GRACE: uncertainty and role of extreme precipitation

Shamsudduha, Mohammad; Taylor, Richard G.

doi:10.5194/esd-2019-43

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“…The monthly gridded (1° × 1°) GRACE TWS anomalies utilised in this study are available from the Center for Space Research (CSR), the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and the GRGS GRACE solution (CNES/GRGS release RL03‐v1) from the French space agency, Centre National D'études Spatiales (CNES). In order to reduce the uncertainty with different GRACE processing strategies (Shamsudduha & Taylor, 2020; Van Loon et al, 2017), we initially estimate the ensemble mean TWS from the three GRACE solutions during August 2002 to July 2016. The ensemble mean GWS is also calculated by removing other components of TWS, including soil moisture storage (SMS), surface water storage (SWS), and snow water storage (SNS).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Groundwater depletion in northern India: Impacts of the sub‐regional anthropogenic land‐use, socio‐politics and changing climate

Panda

Ambast

Shamsudduha

2020

Hydrological Processes

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Understanding the key drivers behind intensive use of groundwater resources and subsequent depletion in northern India is important for future food security of India. Although spatio-temporal changes of groundwater storage (GWS) and its depletion in northern India are mapped using the NASA's GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) records, the sub-regional diverse socio-political and environmental factors contributing to the variability in groundwater withdrawals and renewals are not well documented. Here, we provide new evidence on changes in GWS at different spatial scales using both observations and satellite-based measurements applying both parametric and non-parametric statistical analyses. The substantial loss of GWS has occurred since the beginning of the 21st century, and the decline in GWS is associated with some record-breaking dry and hot climate events. We present how certain state-based policy decisions, such as supplying free electricity for irrigation, prompted farmers to extract groundwater unsustainably and thus led to widespread GWS deletion, which has been also accelerated by frequent dryness and rising temperatures. In the hotspot of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi of northern India, the extracted groundwater during 1985-2013 is equivalent to a metre-high layer if spread uniformly across its geographical domain. We find that the groundwater storage loss in northern India has increased rapidly from 17 km 3 to 189 km 3 between the pre-2002 and 2002-2013 periods. This loss in northern India is, therefore, an excellent example of rapid surface greening and sub-surface drying-a result of an interplay of socio-political and environmental factors. As groundwater continues to be treated as a common natural resource and no clear definition exists to guide policymaking, this study also illustrates how the administrative district level approach can solve the widespread problem of depletion. K E Y W O R D S climate extremes, food security, groundwater depletion, indo-Gangetic plain aquifer, land-use change, socio-political drivers 1 | INTRODUCTION As many regions around the world have started to experience more severe droughts accompanied by a hotter-than-normal climate (i.e., dry and hot events) (Overpeck, 2013), the ubiquitous pressure on freshwater resources is imminent. Specifically, groundwater storage (GWS) losses in the world's agriculturally-important aquifer systems have captured considerable attention of scientific community and policy makers (Dalin et al., 2017; Famiglietti, 2014; Gleeson et al., 2012). This raises the key scientific question-can groundwater act as a

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%