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A comparison of watershed storage trends over the eastern and upper Midwestern regions of the United States, 2003–2015
Author(s) -
Thomas Brian F.,
Landerer Felix W.,
Wiese David N.,
Famiglietti James S.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1002/2016wr018617
Subject(s) - watershed , streamflow , groundwater , hydrology (agriculture) , environmental science , structural basin , water storage , recession , drainage basin , geography , geology , cartography , geomorphology , computer science , geotechnical engineering , machine learning , keynesian economics , economics , inlet
Basin‐scale groundwater storage trends calculated from long‐term streamflow records provide insight into the evolution of watershed behaviors. Our study presents the first spatially relevant validation of recession‐based trend approaches by comparing three independent storage trend estimates using GRACE‐derived groundwater storage, in situ groundwater elevation observations, and recession‐based approaches for the time period of 2003–2015. Results documented consistent agreement between spatially interpolated groundwater observation trends and recession‐based storage trends, while GRACE‐derived groundwater trends were found to exhibit variable, poor comparisons. A decreasing trend in watershed storage was identified in the southeastern U.S. while increasing trends were identified in the northeast and upper Midwest estimated from recession‐based approaches. Our recession‐based approach conducted using nested watershed streamflow records identified variable watershed storage trends at scales directly applicable for comparative hydrology studies and for assisting in watershed‐based water resources management decisions.