Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Oxford, Mississippi » National Sedimentation Laboratory » Water Quality and Ecology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #419550
Research Project: Enhancing Long-Term Agroecosystem Sustainability of Water and Soil Resources Through Science and Technology

Location: Water Quality and Ecology Research

Title: Assessing differences in groundwater hydrology dynamics between in-situ measurements and GRACE-derived estimates via machine learning: a test-case of consequences for agroecological relationships within the Yazoo-Mississippi

Author
item Heintzman, Lucas
item GHAFFARI, ZAHRA - University Of Mississippi
item AWAWDEH, ABDEL - University Of Mississippi
item Barrett, Damien
item YARBROUGH, LANCE - University Of Mississippi
item EASSON, GREG - University Of Mississippi
item Moore, Matthew
item Locke, Martin
item YASARER, HAKAN - University Of Mississippi

Submitted to: Hydrology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/24/2024
Publication Date: 11/1/2024
Citation: Heintzman, L.J., Ghaffari, Z., Awawdeh, A.R., Barrett, D.E., Yarbrough, L.D., Easson, G., Moore, M.T., Locke, M.A., Yasarer, H.I. 2024. Assessing differences in groundwater hydrology dynamics between in-situ measurements and GRACE-derived estimates via machine learning: a test-case of consequences for agroecological relationships within the Yazoo-Mississippi. Hydrology 2024, 11, 186. https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology11110186.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology11110186

Interpretive Summary: Crop irrigation requirements effect groundwater levels, which can also influence land use choices. To assess these groundwater changes through time, several types of models are available to resource managers. It is important to identify differences among groundwater models because the estimates from models may impart different management strategies. Our study examined groundwater model differences within northwestern Mississippi. We documented land use patterns in areas of both high and low groundwater levels. We also highlighted relationships with various agricultural crops through time. Our results can help improve groundwater model development and support conservation efforts.

Technical Abstract: In-situ groundwater monitoring is critical for irrigated agroecosystems and informs land cover changes. Yet, such data can pose management challenges and confound agroecological relationships. Correspondingly, satellite-based approaches, including the GRACE-constellation, are increasing. Although in-situ and GRACE-derived comparisons occur, limited research considers agroecological dependencies. Herein, we examined differences in groundwater monitoring approaches (observed [in-situ, O] vs. predicted [GRACE-derived, P]) within the Yazoo-Mississippi Delta (YMD), an agroecosystem in the southeastern USA. We compared variation in modeled groundwater hydrology, land cover, and irrigation dynamics of the YMD within the upper-quartile (UQ) area of interest (AOI) (highest groundwater levels) and lower-quartile (LQ) AOI (lowest groundwater levels) every year from 2008 to 2020. Spatially, OUQ and PUQ were in northern portions of the YMD, with the OLQ and PLQ in southern portions. Groundwater levels between OUQ:PUQ and OLQ:PLQ each had correlations >0.85. Regarding land cover, most categories varied within + 2.50% between model estimates through time. Relatedly, we documented 14 instances where correlations between land use category and groundwater level were inverted across models (OLQ:PLQ (5), OUQ:OLQ (6), PUQ:PLQ (3)). Irrigation results were not statistically different among all models. Overall, our results highlight the importance of quantifying model incongruences for groundwater and land cover management.