Publications related to the GRACE Missions (no abstracts)

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Estimating water storage change from GRACE satellite data over the Breede Water Management Area, Western Cape, South Africa

Adam, Maal A., Scheiber-Enslin, Stephanie E., and Ali, K. A., 2025. Estimating water storage change from GRACE satellite data over the Breede Water Management Area, Western Cape, South Africa. Hydrogeology Journal, .

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@ARTICLE{2025HydJ..tmp..108A,
       author = {{Adam}, Maal A. and {Scheiber-Enslin}, Stephanie E. and {Ali}, K.~A.},
        title = "{Estimating water storage change from GRACE satellite data over the Breede Water Management Area, Western Cape, South Africa}",
      journal = {Hydrogeology Journal},
     keywords = {Groundwater monitoring, Remote and satellite sensing, Climate change, Breede Water Management Area, South Africa},
         year = 2025,
        month = oct,
     abstract = "{Groundwater levels in the Breede Water Management Area (WMA) have
        steadily declined, driven by climatic extremes and anthropogenic
        pressures. The lack of representative aquifer storage parameter
        values, inadequate groundwater monitoring wells, and
        inconsistent observation networks complicate the assessment of
        groundwater storage changes. This study employs GRACE (Gravity
        Recovery and Climate Experiment) satellite data, complemented by
        GLDAS (Global Land Data Assimilation System) soil moisture and
        surface water data, to estimate groundwater storage anomalies
        (GWS) in the Breede WMA from 2009 to 2022. Despite the region's
        sparse monitoring network, GRACE-derived GWS was validated using
        limited in situ measurements, showing a strong negative
        correlation (r = {\ensuremath{-}}0.84). Results indicate a
        cumulative groundwater storage loss over the 14-year study
        period (2009-2022), corresponding to an average annual decline
        in groundwater levels of 0.08 cm. This decline is attributed to
        decreased precipitation, the expansion of irrigated agriculture
        from 2009 to 2020, and increased groundwater abstraction for
        water-intensive crops. These factors, compounded by limited
        recharge during drought periods, highlight the vulnerability of
        the region's fractured bedrock aquifers to over-exploitation.
        The study demonstrates the potential of GRACE satellite data to
        assess groundwater storage in regions with limited monitoring
        infrastructure. Findings emphasize the need for integrated water
        resource management (IWRM) strategies, including improved
        irrigation practices, enhanced groundwater monitoring and
        policies to regulate abstraction. This research contributes
        towards understanding groundwater dynamics in semi-arid regions
        and provides a foundation for sustainable resource management in
        water-scarce areas like the Breede WMA.}",
          doi = {10.1007/s10040-025-02946-8},
       adsurl = {https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2025HydJ..tmp..108A},
      adsnote = {Provided by the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System}
}

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