Understanding the dynamic behaviour for the Madrid aquifer (Spain): insights from the
integration of A-DInSAR and 3-D groundwater flow and geomechanical models
R. Boni', C. Meisina, F. Zucca
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
P. Teatini, C. Zoccarato, A. Franceschini
Dept. of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Padova, Italy
J. L. Pastor, R. Tomas
Universidad de Alicante, Dpto. de Ingenieria Civil, Escuela Politecnica Superior de Alicante, Alicante, Spain
P. Ezquerro, M. Bejar-Pizarro, J. Fernandez-Merodo, C. Guardiola-Albert, G. Herrera
Geohazards InSAR Laboratory and Modeling Group, Instituto Geologico y Minero de Espagna, Madrid, Spain
ABSTRACT
Advanced Differential Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (A-DInSAR) techniques
and 3-D groundwater flow and geomechanical models are integrated to improve our knowledge
about the Tertiary detritic aquifer of Madrid (TDAM). In particular, the attention
is focused on the Manzanares-Jarama well field, located to the northwest of Madrid,
which experienced five cycles of extensive groundwater withdrawal followed by natural
recovery, to cope with the droughts occurred in summer 1995, 1999, 2002, 2006, and 2009.
Piezometric records and A-DInSAR data acquired by ERS-1/2 and ENVISAT satellites during
the periods 1992-2000 and 2002-2010, respectively, have been used to calibrate the
groundwater flow and the geomechanical models. A time-lag of about one month between
the hydraulic head changes and the displacements of the land surface has been detected
by a joint wavelet analysis of A-DInSAR and piezometer head time series. Overall, the
results show the effectiveness of the proposed integrated approach composed of A-DInSAR
and 3-D geomechanical model to characterize the aquifer-system response during and
after the groundwater withdrawal.
