Open AccessWater Storage, Net Precipitation, and Evapotranspiration in the Mackenzie River Basin from October 2002 to September 2009 Inferred from GRACE Satellite Gravity Data
Author(s) -
E. Morrow,
J. X. Mitrovica,
G. Fotopoulos
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of hydrometeorology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.733
H-Index - 123
eISSN - 1525-755X
pISSN - 1525-7541
DOI - 10.1175/2010jhm1278.1
Subject(s) - evapotranspiration , precipitation , environmental science , drainage basin , structural basin , climatology , water resources , hydrology (agriculture) , satellite , water storage , geology , meteorology , oceanography , geomorphology , geography , ecology , cartography , geotechnical engineering , aerospace engineering , engineering , inlet , biology
Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite gravity data are used to determine the variability of terrestrial water storage within the Mackenzie River basin from October 2002 to September 2009. During that period, it is estimated that there is no significant (7 yr) linear trend in the water storage after having accounted for postglacial rebound using the ICE-5G (VM2) ice sheet and Earth viscosity model. Errors in this model may alter this conclusion. The GRACE gravity data are also combined with precipitation and river discharge datasets to estimate trends in net precipitation and evapotranspiration in the basin. Net precipitation is seen to have a significant trend with a corresponding increase in river discharge. Evapotranspiration was found to be constant over the study period.