Groundwater Management using Remotely Sensed Data in High Plains Aquifer

In this study a water balance method, based on remotely sensed satellite data, has been developed to estimate net monthly groundwater storage changes in the High Plains Aquifer. Components of water balances are taken from datasets produced by the GRACE, MODIS, PRISM, and AMSR-E satellites. The GRACE-derived estimates have been tested through comparisons with in-situ measurements. The agreement between the two datasets is good, suggesting that remotely-sensed tools are a flexible, cost-effective alternative to traditional methods of regional groundwater monitoring, e.g., observations of water levels in wells. The study has also compared estimates of total water storage derived from GRACE with an alternate water balance equation that is based on independent data. The results indicate that GRACE measurements can be used effectively in regional groundwater management.