Integration of GRACE Data with Inferences from Hydrologic Models, Geochemical Data, and Field Data for a Better Understanding of the Time-Dependent Water Storage Variability in Large-Scale Aquifers: Case Studies from Northern Africa

As part of a collaboration with Researchers at Wesern Michigan University, I am involved in developing and applying an interdisciplinary system approach (involving analyses of GRACE gravity, remote sensing, and geochemical data, along with hydrologic modeling) to assess and calibrate GRACE data for monitoring groundwater recharge, discharge, and flow in large-scale aquifers. The Nubian Aquifer of North Africa was chosen as a test site, because its extensive areal distribution allows temporal gravity variations to be detected with accuracy; its hyperarid conditions facilitate calibration of GRACE gravity data; and its potential for demonstrating the utility of GRACE data to resolve issues pertaining to recharge and discharge rates, the magnitude and direction of groundwater flow, and the connectivity of subbasins. Results obtained from this research could provide straightforward techniques for monitoring storage variability in groundwater resources in arid and semi-arid countries worldwide. This work is being conducted jointly by scientists from Western Michigan University, Argonne National Laboratory, the University of Illinois at Chicago, the Macquarie University (Sydney, Australia), and Cairo University (Cairo, Egypt) and University of Toledo. The work builds on two decades of collaborative research efforts between the American and Egyptian Investigators.  

Related Publication:

Ahmed, M.*, Sultan, M., Wahr, J., Yan, E., Milewski, A., Sauck, W., Becker, R., Welton, B.**,2011, Integration of GRACE data with traditional datasets for a better understanding of the time dependent water partitioning in African watersheds, Geology, v39, no. 5, p479-482, doi:10.1130/G31812.1

Selected Presentations:

Ahmed, M., Sultan, M., Wahr, J., Yan, E., Milewski, A., Sauck, W., Becker, R., Welton, B., Marsala, P.J. Integration of GRACE data, with inferences from traditional datasets for a better understanding of the time-dependent water storage variability in African watersheds, American Geophysical Union Annual Meeting Abstracts with Programs, AGU, San Francisco, Calif., 13-17 Dec

Collaborators: Argonne National Laboratory, Cairo University (Cairo, Egypt), Macquarie University (Sydney, Australia), University of Illinois at Chicago

Sponsor: NASA Science Mission Directorate