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Development of a numerical groundwater flow model using SRTM elevations

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Abstract

Remotely-sensed elevation data are potentially useful for constructing regional scale groundwater models, particularly in regions where ground-based data are poor or sparse. Surface-water elevations measured by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) were used to develop a regional-groundwater flow model by assuming that frozen surface waters reflect local hydraulic head (or groundwater potential). Drainage lakes (fed primarily by surface water) are designated as boundary conditions and seepage lakes and isolated wetlands (fed primarily by groundwater) are used as observation points to calibrate a numerical flow model of the 900 km2 study area in the Northern Highland Lakes Region of Wisconsin, USA. Elevation data were utilized in a geographic information system (GIS) based groundwater-modeling package that employs the analytic element method (AEM). Calibration statistics indicate that lakes and wetlands had similar influence on the parameter estimation, suggesting that wetlands might be used as observations where open water elevations are unreliable or not available. Open water elevations are often difficult to resolve in radar interferometry because unfrozen water does not return off-nadir radar signals.

Résumé

Les données obtenues par télédétection peuvent être utiles pour l’élaboration de modèles hydrogéologiques à l’échelle régionale et particulièrement dans les régions où les données d’élévations du sol sont rares ou éparses. Les élévations des niveaux d’eaux de surface mesurées par la navette de la mission de topographie radar (SRTM) ont été utilisées pour élaborer un modèle hydrogéologique d’écoulement à l’échelle régionale, en faisant l’hypothèse que les eaux de surface gelées correspondent au niveau piézomètrique local (ou niveau des eaux souterraines). Les lacs de drainage (principalement alimentés par les eaux de surface) sont choisis comme conditions aux limites et les lacs d’infiltration et marais isolés (principalement alimentés par les eaux souterraines) sont utilisés comme zones d’observation pour calibrer un modèle numérique d’écoulement d’une zone d’étude de 900 km2, localisée dans la région des lacs du Northern Highland au Wisconsin, Etats-Unis. Les données d’élévations ont été utilisées avec une suite logicielle de modélisation hydrogéologique basée sur l’approche système d’information géographique (SIG) et utilisant la méthode des éléments analytiques (AEM en anglais). Les statistiques de la calibration montrent que les lacs et les marais présentaient une influence similaire sur l’estimation des paramètres, ce qui suggère que les marais pourraient être utilisés comme zones d’observation là où l’élévation des eaux de surface est non fiable ou non disponible. Les élévations des eaux de surface sont souvent difficiles à obtenir avec l’interférométrie radar car les eaux non gelées ne renvoient pas les signaux radar latéraux (off-nadir).

Resumen

Los datos de elevación provenientes de sensores remotos tienen un uso potencial para la construcción de modelos de agua subterránea de escala regional, particularmente en regiones donde los datos basados en el terreno son pobres o escasos. Se usaron elevaciones de la superficie del agua medidas por la Misión de Topografía Radar de Trayectos Cortos (SRTM) para desarrollar un modelo regional de flujo de agua subterránea mediante el supuesto de que las aguas superficiales congeladas reflejan la presión hidráulica local (o potencial de agua subterránea). Los lagos de drenaje (alimentados principalmente por agua superficial) se han designado como condiciones limitantes y los lagos de escurrimiento y humedales aislados (alimentados principalmente por agua subterránea) se han usado como puntos de observación para calibrar un modelo de flujo numérico de los 900 km2 del área de estudio en la Región de Tierras Altas al Norte de los Lagos de Wisconsin, Estados Unidos. Los datos de elevación se utilizaron en un Sistema de Información Geográfico (SIG) basado en un paquete de modelizado de aguas subterráneas que usa el método de elemento analítico (AEM). La calibración estadística indica que los lagos y humedales tuvieron influencia similar en la estimación de parámetros lo que sugiere que los humedales pueden usarse como observaciones donde las elevaciones de agua expuesta no son confiables o no están disponibles. Las elevaciones de agua expuesta son difíciles de resolver mediante interferometría de radar debido a que el agua no congelada no retorna las señales de radar nadir.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the NASA New Investigator Program (NAG5-10608) as well as the NSF Information Technology Research Program (IIS-0426557). Development of software used for this research, Split, Ostrich, and ArcAEM, was funded by the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program, under Grant No. R82-7961. Comments on the initial draft of the manuscript by Alan Rabideau are greatly appreciated. The author would like to thank Tom Farr of JPL for generously sharing remotely sensed data, as well as Jörn Hoffmann, Randall J. Hunt, and an anonymous reviewer for their thoughtful insight and critical review of this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, University at Buffalo, 876 Natural Sciences Complex, Buffalo, NY, 14260, USA

    Kyle C. Fredrick, Matthew W. Becker & Ashish Daw

  2. Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, University at Buffalo, 207 Jarvis Hall, Buffalo, NY, 14260, USA

    L. Shawn Matott & Karl Bandilla

  3. Department of Geography, University at Buffalo, 105 Wilkeson Quad, Buffalo, NY, 14261, USA

    Douglas M. Flewelling

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  1. Kyle C. Fredrick
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Correspondence to Kyle C. Fredrick.

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Fredrick, K.C., Becker, M.W., Matott, L.S. et al. Development of a numerical groundwater flow model using SRTM elevations. Hydrogeol J 15, 171–181 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-006-0115-3

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