Groundwater Archives

Spring Runoff is Older Than You Think

Jun 3, 2025 | Research findings

DRI’s Rosemary Carroll, Research Professor of Hydrology, co-authored a new study that found spring runoff in mountains across the Western U.S. is much older than previously known. Using advanced dating techniques, the research discovered that melting mountain snowpacks first replenish groundwater reserves before filling springs several years later. This means that the water relied on by communities across the West takes over five years from snowflake to streamflow. The research has implications for water management and our understanding of the changing dynamics of water availability.

OpenET’s New CEO, Sara Larsen, Discusses the Future of the Revolutionary Water-Monitoring Initiative

Apr 8, 2025 | Featured projects

OpenET, a nonprofit initiative focused on improving water management with accessible, satellite-based evapotranspiration (ET) data, has welcomed Sara Larsen as the new CEO. DRI sat down with Sara to discuss what makes the initiative unique, her plans for the organization, and how OpenET can help address the biggest challenges in water management.

Meet Alexa Daniel

Feb 26, 2025 | Featured researchers

Alexa Daniel, M.Sc., is a hydrogeologist and Assistant Research Scientist who joined DRI this past December. Based at Reno’s campus, she will be spending most of her time over the next two years developing water resource plans for Nevada’s rural counties. In the following interview, Daniel shares her wide range of experience studying water resources in the West, her favorite book, and an invitation to a network event she’s spearheading for young professionals.

Groundwater Use Can Be Accurately Monitored With Satellites Using OpenET, New Study Finds

Sep 5, 2024 | Research findings

DRI scientists compared data from groundwater pumping meters with OpenET estimates in irrigated land to advance understanding of groundwater use. The new study demonstrated that OpenET can be used to accurately estimate the amount of groundwater used for crop irrigation at the level of individual fields.

Groundwater is Key to Protecting Global Ecosystems

Jul 17, 2024 | Research findings

New research identifies ecosystems around the world that could be threatened by declining groundwater levels. The research, published July 17 in Nature, is the first time that groundwater-dependent ecosystems have been mapped on a global scale. Led by scientists from The Nature Conservancy and DRI, the global effort brought researchers together from universities, non-profit organizations, and institutions from seven countries.

New Study Estimates Lithium in Groundwater That Can Be Used for Drinking Water

Jun 10, 2024 | News releases, Research findings

DRI researchers Monica Arienzo and Daniel Saftner are coauthors on a new study led by the USGS that examines lithium levels in groundwater aquifers used to supply drinking water across the U.S. The new estimates can help health researchers determine potential connections between lithium exposure and human health outcomes.

Rising Temperatures Will Significantly Reduce Streamflow in the Upper Colorado River Basin As Groundwater Levels Fall, New Research Shows

May 23, 2024 | News releases, Research findings

Climate change will dramatically impact streamflow and its contributions to the Colorado River by increasing forest water use and reducing groundwater levels, new study finds.

DRI’s Christine Albano Co-authors Groundbreaking New Research in Groundwater’s Role in Ecosystem Sustainability

Apr 9, 2024 | News releases

A new study published in Nature Water used satellite data spanning 38 years to examine how groundwater-dependent ecosystems (such as wetlands, meadows, and springs) in California respond to fluctuations in groundwater levels. The research can help shed light on how water management practices can best account for ecosystem needs in addition to those of human society.

Scientists Map Loss of Groundwater Storage Around the World

Nov 2, 2023 | News releases, Research findings

A new study maps, for the first time, the permanent loss of aquifer storage capacity occurring globally. Researchers from DRI, Colorado State University, and the Missouri University of Science and Technology examined how groundwater extraction is driving land subsidence and aquifer collapse.

Meet Sayantan (Monty) Majumdar, Ph.D.

Jul 18, 2023 | Featured researchers

Sayantan Majumdar, Ph.D., joined DRI in June 2023 as an assistant research professor of hydrologic sciences and remote sensing. Majumdar, who also goes by the name “Monty,” also specializes in machine learning, geospatial data science, and scientific software development.