Satellites Help Monitor Pakistani Groundwater

by | Feb 29, 2016

Pakistan water managers used NASA GRACE satellite data to produce this map of monthly groundwater changes in the Indus River Basin. Orange and yellow indicate groundwater depletion, while blue and green highlight areas where groundwater is being replenished. (Credit: Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources)

Pakistan water managers used NASA GRACE satellite data to produce this map of monthly groundwater changes in the Indus River Basin. Orange and yellow indicate groundwater depletion, while blue and green highlight areas where groundwater is being replenished. (Credit: Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources)

After decades of unchecked pumping from underground water reservoirs, the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources in January 2016 began using satellite data from NASA's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission to create monthly updates on groundwater storage changes in the Indus River basin. This will allow them to see where groundwater supplies are being depleted and where they are being adequately recharged.

Twin GRACE satellites, launched in 2002, map tiny variations in Earth's gravity that reveal underwater water reserves, helping scientists monitor where the water is and how it changes over time.

Using these satellites, we can indicate the areas that are most threatened by groundwater depletion, said Naveed Iqbal, an assistant director and hydrogeologist on the council. We can tell the farmers and water managers, and help decision makers formulate better and more-sustainable policies.

 

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