Articles | Volume 19, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-1487-2015
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-1487-2015
Research article
 | 
24 Mar 2015
Research article |  | 24 Mar 2015

Identifying water mass depletion in northern Iraq observed by GRACE

G. Mulder, T. N. Olsthoorn, D. A. M. A. Al-Manmi, E. J. O. Schrama, and E. H. Smidt

Viewed

Total article views: 3,927 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
HTML PDF XML Total BibTeX EndNote
2,101 1,657 169 3,927 189 181
  • HTML: 2,101
  • PDF: 1,657
  • XML: 169
  • Total: 3,927
  • BibTeX: 189
  • EndNote: 181
Views and downloads (calculated since 17 Oct 2014)
Cumulative views and downloads (calculated since 17 Oct 2014)
Latest update: 28 Nov 2025
Download
Short summary
From 2007 to 2009, northern Iraq suffered a severe drought and GRACE satellite observations indicate a water loss of about 146mm equivalent water height (EWH) in the same period. To identify the main causes of this water loss, we developed a model based on geology, remote sensing and stream flow data. Our findings indicate that anthropogenic groundwater extraction has a minor influence in this region, while a decline in lake mass and natural depletion of groundwater play a key role.
Share