IDENTIFYING THE IMPACT OF EXTREME PRECIPITATION EVENTS AND DROUGHTS ON GROUNDWATER RECHARGE IN SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND THROUGH THE INTEGRATION OF GRACE AND INSTRUMENTAL DATA

As climate change alters the timing and amount of precipitation, understanding its impact on the water cycle becomes critical to predict changes in subsurface water storage, flux, and recharge rates in the coming years. Subsurface water sustains crops, makes up over 2/3 of all streamflow, and maintains baseflow in wetlands, lakes, and ponds. Significant changes in precipitation intensity and timing in the Northeast US have impacted the annual water budget, which has led to shifts in the frequency of drought and flooding in the region. Annual precipitation in Massachusetts has increased resulting in dramatic increases in terrestrial water storage. We use instrumental records of groundwater from the USGS National Groundwater Monitoring Network wells to analyze historical data from various events. By automating processes that retrieve daily and monthly groundwater data values, and aggregate mean levels and anomalies we determine trends in groundwater levels depending on factors such as precipitation levels and seasonal variation. Data from NASA’s GRACE satellites is also used to provide data about terrestrial water storage. Comparing these values to groundwater level anomalies provides insight into the significance of precipitation or drought events, their manifestation in the water table, and how it relates to terrestrial water storage. This allows us to quantify the level of susceptibility Massachusetts aquifers have to extreme weather events, better predict how future weather events in the region will affect water movement and availability, and develop our understanding of changes to the hydrologic cycle in New England as a whole.