Analyses of groundwater storage change using GRACE satellite data in the Usutu-Mhlatuze drainage region, north-eastern South Africa
Study region: The Usutu-Mhlatuze Water Management Area located in northern KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. Study focus: Recent studies have indicated a steady decline in groundwater levels in the Usutu-Mhlatuze Water Management Area. However, the absence of representative aquifer storage param...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214581822001318 |
| _version_ | 1818015739126218752 |
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| author | Manish Ramjeawon Molla Demlie Michele Toucher |
| author_facet | Manish Ramjeawon Molla Demlie Michele Toucher |
| author_sort | Manish Ramjeawon |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Study region: The Usutu-Mhlatuze Water Management Area located in northern KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. Study focus: Recent studies have indicated a steady decline in groundwater levels in the Usutu-Mhlatuze Water Management Area. However, the absence of representative aquifer storage parameter values including storativity and specific yield, lack of sufficient groundwater monitoring wells and inconsistent and erratic groundwater level observation data from existing limited networks make it difficult to understand groundwater storage changes in the region. Therefore, this study analyses groundwater storage change of the primary and secondary aquifers within the Usutu-Mhlatuze Water Management Area using GRACE satellite derived terrestrial water storage data, Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS) soil moisture data and in-situ measured surface water storage information. New hydrological insights for the region: The GRACE derived groundwater storage anomalies for the Usutu-Mhlatuze Water Management Area showed good agreement with in-situ groundwater storage anomalies observed from the limited groundwater level monitoring piezometers in the primary and secondary aquifers. The goodness of fit (R2) between the GRACE derived and the observed groundwater storage changes in the primary and secondary aquifers were 0.79 and 0.74, respectively. The GRACE derived groundwater storage change data for the entire study period (between 2002 and 2020) indicated that the primary and secondary aquifers experienced a groundwater storage loss of 925 × 106 m3 and 3614 × 106 m3, respectively. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T07:02:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0698243bb3384d508219477b5b3545d1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2214-5818 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T07:02:03Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies |
| spelling | doaj.art-0698243bb3384d508219477b5b3545d12022-12-22T02:06:43ZengElsevierJournal of Hydrology: Regional Studies2214-58182022-08-0142101118Analyses of groundwater storage change using GRACE satellite data in the Usutu-Mhlatuze drainage region, north-eastern South AfricaManish Ramjeawon0Molla Demlie1Michele Toucher2University of KwaZulu-Natal, School of Agriculture, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Pietermaritzburg 3201, South Africa; South African Environmental Observation Network, Pietermaritzburg 3201, South Africa; Corresponding author at: University of KwaZulu-Natal, School of Agriculture, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Pietermaritzburg 3201, South Africa.University of KwaZulu-Natal, School of Agriculture, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Private Bag X54001, Durban 4000, South AfricaUniversity of KwaZulu-Natal, School of Agriculture, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Pietermaritzburg 3201, South Africa; South African Environmental Observation Network, Pietermaritzburg 3201, South AfricaStudy region: The Usutu-Mhlatuze Water Management Area located in northern KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. Study focus: Recent studies have indicated a steady decline in groundwater levels in the Usutu-Mhlatuze Water Management Area. However, the absence of representative aquifer storage parameter values including storativity and specific yield, lack of sufficient groundwater monitoring wells and inconsistent and erratic groundwater level observation data from existing limited networks make it difficult to understand groundwater storage changes in the region. Therefore, this study analyses groundwater storage change of the primary and secondary aquifers within the Usutu-Mhlatuze Water Management Area using GRACE satellite derived terrestrial water storage data, Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS) soil moisture data and in-situ measured surface water storage information. New hydrological insights for the region: The GRACE derived groundwater storage anomalies for the Usutu-Mhlatuze Water Management Area showed good agreement with in-situ groundwater storage anomalies observed from the limited groundwater level monitoring piezometers in the primary and secondary aquifers. The goodness of fit (R2) between the GRACE derived and the observed groundwater storage changes in the primary and secondary aquifers were 0.79 and 0.74, respectively. The GRACE derived groundwater storage change data for the entire study period (between 2002 and 2020) indicated that the primary and secondary aquifers experienced a groundwater storage loss of 925 × 106 m3 and 3614 × 106 m3, respectively.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214581822001318Terrestrial water storagegroundwater storage depletionprimary and secondary aquifersremote sensingland use and climate changes |
| spellingShingle | Manish Ramjeawon Molla Demlie Michele Toucher Analyses of groundwater storage change using GRACE satellite data in the Usutu-Mhlatuze drainage region, north-eastern South Africa Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies Terrestrial water storage groundwater storage depletion primary and secondary aquifers remote sensing land use and climate changes |
| title | Analyses of groundwater storage change using GRACE satellite data in the Usutu-Mhlatuze drainage region, north-eastern South Africa |
| title_full | Analyses of groundwater storage change using GRACE satellite data in the Usutu-Mhlatuze drainage region, north-eastern South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Analyses of groundwater storage change using GRACE satellite data in the Usutu-Mhlatuze drainage region, north-eastern South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Analyses of groundwater storage change using GRACE satellite data in the Usutu-Mhlatuze drainage region, north-eastern South Africa |
| title_short | Analyses of groundwater storage change using GRACE satellite data in the Usutu-Mhlatuze drainage region, north-eastern South Africa |
| title_sort | analyses of groundwater storage change using grace satellite data in the usutu mhlatuze drainage region north eastern south africa |
| topic | Terrestrial water storage groundwater storage depletion primary and secondary aquifers remote sensing land use and climate changes |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214581822001318 |
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