Monitoring Mass Variations in Iraq Using Time-Variable Gravity Data

Iraq is facing a water shortage due to scarcity and anthropogenic activities. The recent advance in technologies geophysical methods has made groundwater monitoring possible. Time-variable gravity data outputs of the climatic model, as well rainfall data, are integrated investigate spatio-temporal mass variations caused by changes over Iraq. findings are: (1) For entire study period (04/2002–12/2020), Period I (04/2002–12/2006), II (01/2007–12/2017), III (01/2018–12/2020), region had an average annual precipitation rate 223.4, 252.5, 194.2, 311.6 mm/y, respectively. (2) Terrestrial Water Storage (?TWSs) varied from ?5.79 ± 0.70 ?5.11 mm/y based on three different solutions with mean ?5.51 0.68 for investigated period. (3) Periods I, II, III, ?TWS fluctuation was calculated be +6.82 1.92, ?6.20 1.17, +28.58 12.78 (4) During period, averaged at ?4.86 0.68, +2.47 2.20, ?3.79 1.20, ?4.63 12.99 respectively, after subtracting non-groundwater components. (5) At beginning 2007 drought during decline rate, significant withdrawal all appear have contributed depletion. Euphrates Tigris Rivers, Mesopotamian plain, receive running streams created ground relief. area which thicker sedimentary sequence that can reach 9000 m, found positive TWS signal, indicating its potential higher. approach informative cost-effective.