资源环境科技发展态势分析平台

To protect karst spring water resources, catchments must be known. We have developed a method for correlating spring hydrographs with newly available, high-resolution, satellite-based Global Precipitation Measurement data to rapidly and remotely locate recharge areas. We verify the method using a synthetic comparison of ground-based rain gage data with the satellite precipitation data set. Application to karst springs is proven by correlating satellite data with hydrographs from well-known springs with published catchments in Europe and North America. Application to an unknown-catchment spring in Pennsylvania suggests distant recharge, requiring a flow path that crosses topographic divides, as well as multiple lithologies, physiographic provinces, and tectonic boundaries. Although surprising, this latter result is consistent with published geologic/geophysical, monitoring well, and stream gage data. We conclude that the method has considerable potential to improve the speed and accuracy of catchment identification and hydrodynamic characterization, with applications to water resource protection and groundwater exploration, among others.

Plain Language Summary We have developed a method for determining the recharge area for any spring using satellite-based precipitation data. These data are compared to changes in flow of the spring. That is, when there are surges in the spring flow, we look at satellite data to see where it has recently rained. This will have important applications in protecting spring water resources worldwide.