Parra et al. (2026) Validation of GRACE, ERA5-Land and MODIS remote sensing products for groundwater monitoring in semiarid regions: A multi-basin study in Chile’s Coquimbo region

Identification

• Journal: Journal of Hydrology
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-08-01
• Authors: Francisco Parra, Juan Fernando Rubilar
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.136157

Research Groups

• Universidad de La Serena (Department of Geology)
• Universidad Austral de Chile (Faculty of Agricultural Sciences)

Short Summary

This study validates the use of GRACE, ERA5-land and MODIS remote sensing products for groundwater monitoring in semiarid regions through a multi-basin analysis in Chile's Coquimbo region. The results show that these products can be used as reliable tools for groundwater management.

Objective

• Investigate the accuracy of GRACE, ERA5-land and MODIS remote sensing products for estimating groundwater storage changes in semiarid regions.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Regional scale (Coquimbo region, Chile)
• Temporal Scale: Annual to decadal timescales

Methodology and Data

• Models used: GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment), ERA5-land (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts reanalysis), MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer)
• Data sources: Satellite data, in-situ measurements from monitoring wells

Main Results

• The study found that GRACE and ERA5-land products show good agreement with each other and with MODIS-derived groundwater storage estimates.
• The results indicate that these remote sensing products can be used as reliable tools for groundwater management in semiarid regions.

Contributions

• This study provides original validation of the use of GRACE, ERA5-land and MODIS remote sensing products for groundwater monitoring in semiarid regions.
• The findings contribute to the development of robust and efficient methods for groundwater management in data-scarce areas.

Funding

• FONDECYT (National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development) project 1211004
• CONICYT (National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research) project PAI AFB170001

Citation

@article{Parra2026Validation,
  author = {Parra, Francisco and Rubilar, Juan Fernando},
  title = {Validation of GRACE, ERA5-Land and MODIS remote sensing products for groundwater monitoring in semiarid regions: A multi-basin study in Chile’s Coquimbo region},
  journal = {Journal of Hydrology},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.136157},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.136157}
}