Response of deep aquifers to climate variability

Abdelmohsen, Karem; Sultan, Mohamed; Ahmed, Mohamed; Save, Himanshu; Elkaliouby, Baher; Emil, Mustafa; Yan, Eugene; Abotalib, Abotalib Z.; Krishnamurthy, R. V.; Abdelmalik, Karim

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.04.316

Response of deep aquifers to climate variability

Journal Article · Wed Apr 24 04:00:00 EDT 2019 · Science of the Total Environment

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.04.316· OSTI ID:1572453

^[1]; ^[2]; ^[3]; Save, Himanshu ^[4]; Elkaliouby, Baher ^[5]; Emil, Mustafa ^[2]; Yan, Eugene ^[6]; Abotalib, Abotalib Z. ^[7]; Krishnamurthy, R. V. ^[2]; Abdelmalik, Karim ^[5]

Western Michigan Univ., Kalamazoo MI (United States); National Research Inst. of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG), Cairo (Egypt)
Western Michigan Univ., Kalamazoo MI (United States)
Texas A&M—Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, TX (United States)
The Univ. of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX (United States)
Ain Shams Univ., Cairo (Egypt)
Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Western Michigan Univ., Kalamazoo MI (United States); National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences, Cairo (Egypt)

There is a general agreement that deep aquifers experience significant lag time in their response to climatic variations. Analysis of Temporal Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE), Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity mission (SMOS), satellite altimetry, stable isotopic composition of groundwater, and precipitation and static global geopotential models over the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System (NSAS) revealed rapid aquifer response to climate variability. Findings include: (1) The recharge areas of the NSAS (Northern Sudan Platform subbasin) witnessed a dry period (2002-2012), where average annual precipitation (AAP) was modest (85 mm) followed by a wet period (2013-2016; AAP: 107 mm), and during both periods the APP remained negligible (<10 mm) over the northern parts of the NSAS (Dakhla subbasin); (2) the secular trends in terrestrial water storage (TWS) over the Dakhla subbasin were estimated at -3.8 ± 1.3 mm/yr and + 7.8 ± 1 mm/yr for the dry and wet periods, respectively; (3) spatial variations in TWS values and phase are consistent with rapid groundwater flow from the Northern Sudan Platform subbasin and Lake Nasser towards the Dakhla subbasin during the wet period and from the lake during the dry period; and (4) networks of densely fractured and karstified bedrocks provide preferential pathways for groundwater flow. The proposed model is supported by (1) rapid response in groundwater levels in distant wells (>280 km from source areas) and in soil moisture content in areas with shallow (<2 m) groundwater levels to fluctuations in Lake Nasser surface water, and (2) the isotopic composition (O, H) of groundwater along the preferred pathways, consistent with mixing of enriched (Lake Nasser water or precipitation over Sudan) and depleted (NSAS fossil water) end-members. Here, findings provide new insights into the response of large, deep aquifers to climate variability and address the sustainability of the NSAS and similar fossil aquifers worldwide.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA); National Academy of Sciences; USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-06CH11357

OSTI ID:: 1572453

Journal Information:: Science of the Total Environment, Journal Name: Science of the Total Environment Journal Issue: C Vol. 677; ISSN 0048-9697

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
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Response of deep aquifers to climate variability

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