A new study integrates spaceborne InSAR time series and GPS to resolve spatiotemporal patterns of deformation across the San Joaquin Valley indicating recharge areas and pathways for groundwater flow.
Water Resources Research
Tracing Water from River to Aquifer
A new technique using dissolved noble gas tracers sheds light on how water moves through an aquifer, with implications for water resources and their vulnerability to climate change.
Gauging Ungauged River Basins with Smart Remote Sensing
A clever combination of hydrologic modelling and discharge estimates from the Landsat satellite provides good discharge estimates throughout the Missouri river basin.
Thawing Permafrost May Cause Streams to Cool
Permafrost thawing associated with climate warming increases contributions to streamflow by deeper, cooler groundwater flow paths, which may result in lower summer stream temperatures.
Big Benefits from Experimental Watersheds
Scientific insights from the Agricultural Research Service’s long-term study sites underpin dozens of models and research methods that guide global land management and conservation practices.
Parsing Routes to Aquifer Recharge Along Mountain Fronts
Research from the Tucson Basin indicates that tracers can be used to distinguish surface and subsurface recharge, providing crucial data to support sustainable water management in arid environments.
A Smart Solution to Find Leaks in Water Distribution Networks
By systematically turning valves off and on in water distribution networks, researchers can locate pipe leaks, which could help to save huge quantities of drinking water.
How to Hedge the Risk of Reduced Snowpack for Hydropower
A new index insurance contract – a financial product innovation seeking to cope with climatic variability – could help hydropower operators to manage climate risks.
Evaporation Reverses Groundwater Flow and Forms Hyper-Salinity
A numerical model of groundwater-surface water systems shows how floodplain evaporation can reverse stream-groundwater flow and produce strong buoyancy changes associated with salinity.
How Some Trees Survive the Summer Dry Season
Oak trees in California seasonally tap moisture in unsaturated soil and weathered bedrock, even when the groundwater table is within reach of their roots.