Authors : Dr. Ananya Sharma, Dr. Raghav Menon
ABSTRACT : The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission has revolutionized the monitoring of terrestrial water storage changes, offering unprecedented insight into groundwater depletion across the globe. This paper examines the application of GRACE satellite data in assessing groundwater depletion, with a focus on vulnerable regions where over-extraction poses significant environmental and socio-economic risks. By integrating GRACE-derived datasets with ancillary hydrological and climatic data, researchers can detect spatial and temporal patterns of groundwater decline. The study highlights case examples from semi-arid regions of India and parts of the United States, demonstrating the ability of GRACE data to inform water resource management policies. Key challenges such as spatial resolution, data interpretation complexities, and the necessity of ground-based validation are discussed. The findings underscore the role of satellite-based monitoring as a critical tool for sustainable groundwater governance in the era of climate change.
Keywords: GRACE, groundwater depletion, satellite remote sensing, water resource management, hydrological monitoring
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