Potential Groundwater Recharge
EO Capability Benefits
EO-based assessment of potential groundwater recharge provides key benefits, including cost-effective monitoring over large areas and frequent delivery of data. It supports better water resource planning by identifying areas with high or low recharge potential, and helps anticipate water stress before it impacts ecosystems or vegetation. By providing timely insights, it contributes to sustainable groundwater management and complements information on actual recharge and abstractions.
EO Capability Description
Groundwater quantification using Earth observation involves using remote sensing to estimate the amount of water replenishing the aquifers annually. This approach combines datasets from multiple satellites and global datasets to provide a comprehensive picture of groundwater resources. Groundwater recharge, the process of water replenishing aquifers, can be calculated using various methods, including water balance, water table fluctuation, and empirical formulas. The choice of method depends on data the spatial resolution required and the intended use of the resulting estimations.
Groundwater recharge refers to the volume of water that infiltrates through the soil and reaches the water table. It can be estimated from the previously calculated groundwater storage anomalies by implementing the Water Table Fluctuation method, which assumes that long-term increases in groundwater storage are due to recharge. This method provides three annual recharge estimates: Upper, Lower and Mean.
Potential Groundwater Recharge represents the excess water leaving the soil and percolating towards the water table. However, part of this water might be lost before reaching the water table. It is estimated through a simplified soil moisture budget which accounts for the soil moisture capacity, the inputs (rainfall) and outputs due to the evapotranspirative demand from vegetation. The analysis results into monthly to multi-annual estimations of potential groundwater recharge, along with the complete soil moisture budget.
Indicative Cost Range Details
It depends on the area of interest and the required products. This EO Capability can be implemented from regional to national level (areas above 200.000km2).
