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3 Research Frontiers in Characterizing Groundwater Aquifers
Pages 19-28

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From page 19...
... Combining deformation and water data, one can estimate the storativity and can use the information to predict where the well level will be, with approximately 70 percent accuracy in the Silicon Valley example. In other words, if constant well monitoring is not available, ground deformation can be used to bridge the gaps in data and help characterize water level changes.
From page 20...
... discussed a number of topics, including GRACE data as an integrated measure of total water storage (TWS) , fine scale variability, characterizing regional drought evolution and its impacts using multiple remote sensing techniques (and developing a framework for drought forecasts)
From page 21...
... She also explored the use of GRACE in a diagnostic way to evaluate and improve model output. Using a water balance model, separating the upper and lower Indus basins, and comparing the TWS from GRACE with the one from the model generated using different precipitation forcing, the GRACE data helped evaluate the best model in the upper basin.
From page 22...
... Lake and reservoir storage changes plus potential inflow and outflows are likely to improve understanding of basin water balance, which can then help improve understanding of the groundwater system. Airborne geophysical data can be used to map the sub-surface and geological structures related to groundwater aquifers.
From page 23...
... , the aquifer water balance equation can be rewritten as water volume change equals net inflow minus pumping. In the High Plains aquifer in Kansas, more than 95 percent of the high capacity pumping wells are metered.
From page 24...
... Armed with this information, net inflow can be calculated, and short term predictions can be made on aquifer response to management changes and climatic stresses. Thus, there is potential for the remote sensing community to provide information that can be a valuable asset for management of groundwater resources.
From page 25...
... Dr. Person mentioned a study where saline water discharge can be determined by deducing flow phenomenon using SkyTEM and asked if mapping saline discharges near the surface may be useful moving forward.
From page 26...
... Other remote sensing frontiers include evapotranspiration and runoff from SWOT, which also helps close the water budget; InSAR for calibration and validation; and GPS that can measure surface water changes and how surface water interfaces with the aquifer. If possible to obtain, drone-based measurements of temperature, evapotranspiration, and NDVI to observe vegetation could be crucial for future research.
From page 27...
... Suggestions included: learning what works and what does not work for the four transboundary aquifer treaties that currently exist; lessons from interstate compacts on water sharing and usage in the United States; GEOGLOWS, a multi-government consortium that shares water sustainability data; the USGS Powell Center; possible groundwater components of Science for Nature and People Projects (SNAPP) ; and utilizing specific locations such as Upper San Pedro, Arizona, which illustrate international collaboration opportunities to understand groundwater movement between Mexico and the United States.
From page 28...
... GROUNDWATER RECHARGE AND FLOW Box 3.1 Examples of resources that could help make meaningful progress in under standing of groundwater aquifers. • Data fusion from multiple data types and sensors • Research initiatives on transboundary aquifers (both water systems with a lot of lateral flow as well as surface water and groundwater interaction, and fossil groundwater systems)


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