SUPPORTING LARGE-SCALE HYDROGEOLOGICAL MONITORING AND MODELLING BY TIME-VARIABLE GRAVITY DATA

Abstract

One of the key variables for hydrogeological monitoring and modelling studies are temporal variations of the water storage in groundwater systems. Storage variations are a fundamental component of the groundwater balance and of the continental water cycle. Assessing groundwater storage change is central to water management with regard to water resources, ecology (e.g., wetland preservation), or engineering (e.g., land subsidence due to groundwater withdrawal). In particular, at large spatial scales, however, measuring groundwater storage change is demanding. A dense observation network of wells is required to obtain reliable area-average values. For large aquifers or river basins and for remote areas this approach may not be feasible.