Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Aquifer recharge, depletion, and connectivity: Inferences from GRACE, land surface models, and geochemical and geophysical data

Journal Article · · Geological Society of America, Bulletin
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1130/B31460.1· OSTI ID:1394777
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5]
  1. Western Michigan Univ., Kalamazoo MI (United States). Dept. of Geosciences; Assiut Univ. (Egypt). Geology Dept.
  2. Western Michigan Univ., Kalamazoo MI (United States). Dept. of Geosciences
  3. Western Michigan Univ., Kalamazoo MI (United States). Dept. of Geosciences; Suez Canal Univ., Ismailia (Egypt). Geology Dept.
  4. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Environmental Science Division
  5. Assiut Univ. (Egypt). Geology Dept.
We used data from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and outputs of the CLM4.5 model to estimate recharge and depletion rates for large aquifers, investigate the connectivity of an aquifer's subbasins, and identify barriers and preferred pathways for groundwater flow within an aquifer system. The Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System and its subbasins (Dakhla, Northern Sudan Platform, and Kufra) in northeast Africa were used for demonstration purposes, and findings were tested and verified against geological, geophysical, remote sensing, geochronologic, and geochemical data. There are four major findings. (1) The average annual precipitation data over recharge areas in the southern Kufra section and the Northern Sudan Platform subbasin were estimated at 54.8 km3, and 32.8 km3, respectively, and knowing the annual extraction rates over these two areas (similar to 0.40 ± 0.20 km3), recharge rates were estimated at 0.78 ± 0.49 km3/yr and 1.44 ± 0.42 km3/yr, respectively. (2) GRACEderived groundwater depletion rates over the Dakhla subbasin and the Northern Kufra section were estimated at 4.44 ± 0.42 km3/yr and 0.48 ± 0.32 km3/yr, respectively. (3) The observed depletion in the southern parts of the Dakhla subbasin is apparently caused by the presence of the east- west- trending Uweinat-Aswan basement uplift, which impedes the south-to-north groundwater flow and hence reduces replenishment from recharge areas in the south. (4) A major northeast- southwest- trending shear zone (Pelusium shear system) is apparently providing a preferred groundwater flow pathway from the Kufra to the Dakhla subbasin. Thus, inte-grated approach provides a replicable and cost-effective model for better understanding of the hydrogeologic setting of large aquifers worldwide and for optimum management of these groundwater resources.
Research Organization:
Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-06CH11357
OSTI ID:
1394777
Journal Information:
Geological Society of America, Bulletin, Journal Name: Geological Society of America, Bulletin Journal Issue: 5-6 Vol. 129; ISSN 0016-7606
Publisher:
Geological Society of AmericaCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (87)

Quantifying renewable groundwater stress with GRACE journal July 2015
Quantifying renewable groundwater stress with GRACE journal July 2015
Groundwater discharge mechanism in semi‐arid regions and the role of evapotranspiration journal July 2008
Groundwater depletion in the Middle East from GRACE with implications for transboundary water management in the Tigris-Euphrates-Western Iran region: GROUNDWATER DEPLETION IN THE MIDDLE EAST FROM GRACE journal February 2013
Precipitation Source Inferred from Stable Isotopic Composition of Pleistocene Groundwater and Carbonate Deposits in the Western Desert of Egypt journal July 1997
Solute Profile Techniques for Recharge Estimation in Semi-Arid and Arid Terrain book January 1988
Annual variations in water storage and precipitation in the Amazon Basin: Bounding sink terms in the terrestrial hydrological balance using GRACE satellite gravity data journal April 2007
Simulation of impact of present and future groundwater extraction from the non-replenished Nubian Sandstone Aquifer in southwest Egypt journal December 2002
Numerical modeling of groundwater resource management options in the East Oweinat area, SW Egypt journal July 2003
Groundwater recharge: an overview of processes and challenges journal January 2002
Choosing appropriate techniques for quantifying groundwater recharge journal January 2002
Choosing appropriate techniques for quantifying groundwater recharge journal April 2002
A very large scale GIS-based groundwater flow model for the Nubian sandstone aquifer in Eastern Sahara (Egypt, northern Sudan and eastern Libya) journal September 2004
Geophysical Constraints on the Hydrogeologic and Structural Settings of the Gulf of Suez Rift-Related Basins: Case Study from the El Qaa Plain, Sinai, Egypt journal November 2013
Structural Controls on Groundwater Flow in Basement Terrains: Geophysical, Remote Sensing, and Field Investigations in Sinai journal July 2015
Assessing and Improving Land Surface Model Outputs Over Africa Using GRACE, Field, and Remote Sensing Data journal February 2016
The last 140 ka in the Afro-Asian arid/semi-arid transitional zone journal August 1994
The last 140 ka in the Afro-Asian arid/semi-arid transitional zone journal August 1994
Seismic study of the crust of the northern Red Sea and Gulf of Suez journal October 1988
Assessment of the Vulnerabilities of the Nubian Sandstone Fossil Aquifer, North Africa book January 2013
Assessment of the Vulnerabilities of the Nubian Sandstone Fossil Aquifer, North Africa book January 2013
The use of GRACE data to monitor natural and anthropogenic induced variations in water availability across Africa journal September 2014
Antarctic crustal thickness from satellite gravity: Implications for the Transantarctic and Gamburtsev Subglacial Mountains journal October 2009
Sedimentary cover in the South Western Desert of Egypt as deduced from Bouguer gravity and drill-hole data journal June 2013
The effects of dykes and faults on groundwater flow in an arid land: the Red Sea Hills, Sudan journal September 2004
Natural discharge: A key to sustainable utilization of fossil groundwater journal March 2007
A remote sensing solution for estimating runoff and recharge in arid environments journal June 2009
Modern recharge to fossil aquifers: Geochemical, geophysical, and modeling constraints journal June 2011
Interannual variability in water storage over 2003–2008 in the Amazon Basin from GRACE space gravimetry, in situ river level and precipitation data journal August 2010
Radiocarbon Evidence for Holocene Recharge of Groundwater, Western Desert, Egypt journal January 1980
Radiocarbon Evidence for Holocene Recharge of Groundwater, Western Desert, Egypt journal January 1980
Active fault zones and groundwater flow journal September 2000
Active fault zones and groundwater flow journal September 2000
One million year old groundwater in the Sahara revealed by krypton-81 and chlorine-36: NUBIAN AQUIFER AGE journal March 2004
One million year old groundwater in the Sahara revealed by krypton-81 and chlorine-36: NUBIAN AQUIFER AGE journal March 2004
Cosmogenic, radiogenic, and stable isotopic constraints on groundwater residence time in the Nubian Aquifer, Western Desert of Egypt: GROUNDWATER RESIDENCE TIME journal January 2005
Basin scale estimates of evapotranspiration using GRACE and other observations journal January 2004
Cosmogenic, radiogenic, and stable isotopic constraints on groundwater residence time in the Nubian Aquifer, Western Desert of Egypt: GROUNDWATER RESIDENCE TIME journal January 2005
Basin scale estimates of evapotranspiration using GRACE and other observations journal January 2004
Total basin discharge for the Amazon and Mississippi River basins from GRACE and a land-atmosphere water balance journal January 2005
Post-processing removal of correlated errors in GRACE data journal January 2006
Total basin discharge for the Amazon and Mississippi River basins from GRACE and a land-atmosphere water balance journal January 2005
Post-processing removal of correlated errors in GRACE data journal January 2006
Land water storage within the Congo Basin inferred from GRACE satellite gravity data journal January 2006
Land water storage within the Congo Basin inferred from GRACE satellite gravity data journal January 2006
Basin-scale, integrated observations of the early 21st century multiyear drought in southeast Australia: BASIN-SCALE OBSERVATIONS journal April 2009
Basin-scale, integrated observations of the early 21st century multiyear drought in southeast Australia: BASIN-SCALE OBSERVATIONS journal April 2009
Dwindling groundwater resources in northern India, from satellite gravity observations journal January 2009
Dwindling groundwater resources in northern India, from satellite gravity observations journal January 2009
The development and evaluation of the Earth Gravitational Model 2008 (EGM2008): THE EGM2008 EARTH GRAVITATIONAL MODEL journal April 2012
Monitoring groundwater storage changes in the highly seasonal humid tropics: Validation of GRACE measurements in the Bengal Basin: VALIDATING GRACE ΔGWS IN THE HUMID TROPICS journal February 2012
The development and evaluation of the Earth Gravitational Model 2008 (EGM2008): THE EGM2008 EARTH GRAVITATIONAL MODEL journal April 2012
Monitoring groundwater storage changes in the highly seasonal humid tropics: Validation of GRACE measurements in the Bengal Basin: VALIDATING GRACE ΔGWS IN THE HUMID TROPICS journal February 2012
Time variability of the Earth's gravity field: Hydrological and oceanic effects and their possible detection using GRACE journal December 1998
Time variability of the Earth's gravity field: Hydrological and oceanic effects and their possible detection using GRACE journal December 1998
The Pelusium Megashear System across Africa and associated lineament swarms journal February 1982
Monsoon variability over the past 150,000 years journal January 1987
The Pelusium Megashear System across Africa and associated lineament swarms journal February 1982
Monsoon variability over the past 150,000 years journal January 1987
Glacial and interglacial wind regimes over the eastern subtropical Atlantic and North-West Africa journal September 1981
Satellite-based estimates of groundwater depletion in India journal August 2009
GRACE, time-varying gravity, Earth system dynamics and climate change journal October 2014
A 1973 Gravimetric Geoid of Africa journal May 1974
A 1973 Gravimetric Geoid of Africa journal May 1974
Chemical and Isotopic Constraints on the Origin of Wadi El-Tarfa Ground Water, Eastern Desert, Egypt journal September 2000
GRACE Measurements of Mass Variability in the Earth System journal July 2004
Integration of GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) data with traditional data sets for a better understanding of the time-dependent water partitioning in African watersheds journal May 2011
Integration of GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) data with traditional data sets for a better understanding of the time-dependent water partitioning in African watersheds journal May 2011
Hydrogeology of the Kufra and Sirte basins, eastern Libya journal May 1982
Hydrogeology of the Kufra and Sirte basins, eastern Libya journal May 1982
Beamfilling Errors in Passive Microwave Rainfall Retrievals journal April 1998
Beamfilling Errors in Passive Microwave Rainfall Retrievals journal April 1998
Global Precipitation: A 17-Year Monthly Analysis Based on Gauge Observations, Satellite Estimates, and Numerical Model Outputs journal November 1997
Global Precipitation: A 17-Year Monthly Analysis Based on Gauge Observations, Satellite Estimates, and Numerical Model Outputs journal November 1997
The TRMM Multisatellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA): Quasi-Global, Multiyear, Combined-Sensor Precipitation Estimates at Fine Scales journal February 2007
The TRMM Multisatellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA): Quasi-Global, Multiyear, Combined-Sensor Precipitation Estimates at Fine Scales journal February 2007
Nubian Aquifer system book October 2017
Monitoring mass changes in the Volta River basin using GRACE satellite gravity and TRMM precipitation journal December 2012
Monitoring mass changes in the Volta River basin using GRACE satellite gravity and TRMM precipitation journal December 2012
Problems of the Libyan Desert journal July 1927
Problems of the Libyan Desert journal November 1927
Sources of Water in the North-Western Sudan journal May 1935
One million year old groundwater in the Sahara revealed by krypton-81 and chlorine-36 text January 2004
Cosmogenic, radiogenic, and stable isotopic constraints on groundwater residence time in the Nubian Aquifer, Western Desert of Egypt text January 2005
Identifying water mass depletion in northern Iraq observed by GRACE journal January 2015
Identifying water mass depletion in Northern Iraq observed by GRACE journal October 2014
Interpretation of GRACE data of the Nile Basin using a groundwater recharge model journal January 2010

Cited By (5)

Use of Geophysical and Remote Sensing Data for Assessment of Aquifer Depletion and Related Land Deformation journal January 2018
Groundwater Quality Patterns and Spatiotemporal Change in Depletion in the Regions of the Arabian Shield and Arabian Shelf journal October 2019
Rock-water interaction processes based on geochemical modeling and remote sensing applications in hyper-arid environment: cases from the southeastern region of Egypt journal September 2018
Multi-Scale Hydrologic Sensitivity to Climatic and Anthropogenic Changes in Northern Morocco journal December 2019
Forecasting GRACE Data over the African Watersheds Using Artificial Neural Networks journal July 2019

Similar Records

Response of deep aquifers to climate variability
Journal Article · Tue Apr 23 20:00:00 EDT 2019 · Science of the Total Environment · OSTI ID:1572453

What can the GRACE seasonal cycle tell us about lake-aquifer interactions?
Journal Article · Tue Oct 06 20:00:00 EDT 2020 · Earth-Science Reviews · OSTI ID:1863220

Assessment of the long-term hydrologic impacts of Lake Nasser and related irrigation projects in southwestern Egypt.
Journal Article · Fri May 10 00:00:00 EDT 2002 · J. Hydrol. · OSTI ID:949451