Groundwater Recharge Analyzed Using NASA GLDAS Data Products and Environmental Isotopes in Jordan

Presented on Monday, April 29, 2013
James Lakings1, Susan Kilani2, Bushra Bataineh3 and Paul Houser4, (1)Geovesi, Alexandria, VA, (2)World Health Organization, Amman, Jordan, (3)Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, (4)George Mason University, Fairfax, VA

The water balance of an underground storage reservoir is determined by evaluating precipitation, surface runoff, evaporation and transpiration, changes in soil moisture and anthropogenic abstractions.  These hydrological components can be directly or indirectly derived from remote sensing data products via the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS).  The GLDAS is a global archive of modeled and observed surface meteorological data, parameter maps and hydrological model outputs.  The archive includes 1-degree and 0.25-degree resolution, 1979-present and 1948-present simulations of various land surface hydrology models.  The temporal resolution for GLDAS products is 3-hourly making it suitable for tracking fast moving extreme hydrologic events that are important in arid and semi-arid climates.  Daily, monthly and annual products can be generated by temporal averaging of the 3-hourly products.  NASA GLDAS products have been used to calculate average annual groundwater recharge rates throughout the country of Jordan.  The GLDAS-derived rates of groundwater recharge for the Eastern Jordan desert appear to be higher than have been previously recognized.  GLDAS derived recharge rates are compared to surface and subsurface geological features, groundwater elevation maps, environmental isotopes, current abstractions and groundwater discharge features to better understand the implications of these results.  Comparisons of environmental isotopes in the precipitation and groundwater indicate that the origin of the groundwater recharge can be construed as generally consistent with the area of increased recharge although recharge from the Syrian steppe cannot entirely be ruled out.  Groundwater flow directions in the area are defined by a local groundwater high and consisting of several groundwater divides and also appear to be consistent with the area of higher recharge.  These analyses provide important tools for exploring possible relationships between groundwater recharge and groundwater discharge and improving the state of knowledge for the management of water resources.


James Lakings
Geovesi, Alexandria, VA
James Lakings received a Ph.D. from Duke University for using microearthquake signals to describe the flow of groundwater in and around geothermal production and injection wells. As Chief Scientist for Microseismic Inc., he developed industry leading geophysical techniques to characterize reservoir-to-well connectivity in unconventional reservoirs created by hydraulic fracture emplacement. Lakings is the author on several commercial patents and publications. He is currently developing innovative methods for integrating advanced remote sensing water balance products with geological, geophysical, and hydrological data in order to better understand the relationships between groundwater recharge and groundwater discharge.
Susan Kilani
World Health Organization, Amman, Jordan
Susan Kilani is a former environmental isotope specialist. She served as Assistant Secretary General for Laboratories & Quality for the Water Authority of Jordan where she was responsible for water and wastewater testing to ensure the safety of drinking water supplied in entire Kingdom and the compliance of treated wastewater to the Jordanian standards for the intended use. Currently, she is the Regional GLAAS coordinator within CEHA to act as a liaison on GLAAS between national government officials, WHO country or regional offices and WHO headquarters as necessary and provide technical support to government officials and institutions.
Bushra Bataineh
Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA
Bushra is studying environmental fluid dynamics and serving the Manager of Sustainable Food, Energy and Water Projects for Badr Investments and as Hydrologist and Research Coordinator for AgriJordan.
Paul Houser
George Mason University, Fairfax, VA
Dr. Houser received his B.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Hydrology and Water Resources from the University of Arizona. In 1997 Dr. Houser joined the NASA-GSFC Hydrological Sciences Branch and Data Assimilation Office where he ultimately served as head of the Hydrological Science Branch. In 2005 he became Professor of Global Hydrology at George Mason University and formed The Center for Research for Environment and Water. In 2011 Dr. Houser served as Science Advisor to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
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