Downscaled GRACE-FO TWSA for Greece

The dataset comprises GRACE-FO downscaled Total Water Storage Anomalies, at 0.1 degrees spatial resolution. Units are in mm with reference the 2004 - 2009 period. Abstract: A downscaling framework for coarse resolution Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) Total Water Storage Anomaly (TWSA) data is described, exploiting the observations of precipitation from the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission, using the Integrated Multisatellite Retrievals for GPM (IMERG). Considering that the major driving force for changes in TWS is precipitation, we tested our hypothesis that coarse resolution, i.e., 1◦, GRACE TWSA can be effectively downscaled to 0.1◦ using GPM IMERG data. The algorithm for the downscaling process comprises the development of a regression equation at the coarse resolution between the GRACE and GPM IMERG data, which is then applied at the finer resolution with a subsequent residual correction procedure. An ensemble of GRACE data from three processing centers, i.e., GFZ, JPL and CSR, was used for the time period from June 2018 until March 2021. To verify our downscaling methodology, we applied it with GRACE data from 2005 to 2015, and we compared it against modeled TWSA from two independent datasets in the Thrace and Thessaly regions in Greece for the same period and found a high performance in all examined metrics. Our research indicates that the downscaled GRACE observations are comparable to the TWSA estimated with hydrological modeling, thus highlighting the potential of GRACE data to contribute to the improvement of hydrological model performance, especially in ungauged basins.THIS DATASET IS ARCHIVED AT DANS/EASY, BUT NOT ACCESSIBLE HERE. TO VIEW A LIST OF FILES AND ACCESS THE FILES IN THIS DATASET CLICK ON THE DOI-LINK ABOV

Downscaled GRACE-FO TWSA for Greece

The dataset comprises GRACE-FO downscaled Total Water Storage Anomalies, at 0.1 degrees spatial resolution. Units are in mm with reference the 2004 - 2009 period. Abstract: A downscaling framework for coarse resolution Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) Total Water Storage Anomaly (TWSA) data is described, exploiting the observations of precipitation from the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission, using the Integrated Multisatellite Retrievals for GPM (IMERG). Considering that the major driving force for changes in TWS is precipitation, we tested our hypothesis that coarse resolution, i.e., 1◦, GRACE TWSA can be effectively downscaled to 0.1◦ using GPM IMERG data. The algorithm for the downscaling process comprises the development of a regression equation at the coarse resolution between the GRACE and GPM IMERG data, which is then applied at the finer resolution with a subsequent residual correction procedure. An ensemble of GRACE data from three processing centers, i.e., GFZ, JPL and CSR, was used for the time period from June 2018 until March 2021. To verify our downscaling methodology, we applied it with GRACE data from 2005 to 2015, and we compared it against modeled TWSA from two independent datasets in the Thrace and Thessaly regions in Greece for the same period and found a high performance in all examined metrics. Our research indicates that the downscaled GRACE observations are comparable to the TWSA estimated with hydrological modeling, thus highlighting the potential of GRACE data to contribute to the improvement of hydrological model performance, especially in ungauged basins

Downscaled IMERG precipitation for Rhodope area Greece

Downscaled at 1km of the IMERG daily precipitation for Rhodope area - GreeceTHIS DATASET IS ARCHIVED AT DANS/EASY, BUT NOT ACCESSIBLE HERE. TO VIEW A LIST OF FILES AND ACCESS THE FILES IN THIS DATASET CLICK ON THE DOI-LINK ABOV

Protection of groundwater dependent ecosystems:current policies and future management options

Groundwater dependent ecosystems (GDEs) include many terrestrial and aquatic systems with high biodiversity and important ecosystem services. The need for protection of these systems has recently received increasing recognition in many regions, including the European Union (EU), as pressures on groundwater are increasing due to increased consumption in agriculture and intensive land use. A key issue is to provide legislative frameworks that safeguard the ecosystem services these systems provide. This paper reviews European legislation and present methods for theoretical frameworks, and hydrological and ecological observations of GDEs. Insights into the current state of research are provided and gaps in scientific knowledge identified. Different restoration and protection measures, such as buffer zones, are presented and evaluated. Recommendations are given for the future protection of GDEs. Future research should focus on nationally important GDE sites to establish conceptual models describing the individual and interactive impacts of multiple stressors on the hydrological and ecological functioning of GDEs. Proactive management is required to protect GDEs from contamination, for example by using extended buffer zones and careful land use planning in the groundwater capture zone.</jats:p

Catchment-scale vulnerability assessment of groundwater pollution from diffuse sources using the DRASTIC method : a case study

The catchment-scale groundwater vulnerability assessment that delineates zones representing different levels of groundwater susceptibility to contaminants from diffuse agricultural sources has become an important element in groundwater pollution prevention for the implementation of the EUWater Framework Directive (WFD). This paper evaluates the DRASTIC method using an ArcGIS platform for assessing groundwater vulnerability in the Upper Bann catchment, Northern Ireland. Groundwater vulnerability maps of both general pollutants and pesticides in the study area were generated by using data on the factors depth to water, net recharge, aquifer media, soil media, topography, impact of vadose zone, and hydraulic conductivity, as defined in DRASTIC. The mountain areas in the study area have “high” (in 4.5% of the study area) or “moderate” (in 25.5%) vulnerability for general pollutants due to high rainfall, net recharge and soil permeability. However, by considering the diffuse agricultural sources, the mountain areas are actually at low groundwater pollution risk. The results of overlaying the maps of land use and the groundwater vulnerability are closer to the reality. This study shows that the DRASTIC method is helpful for guiding the prevention practices of groundwater pollution at the catchment scale in the UK