Characterization of the Land Deformation Induced by Groundwater Withdrawal and Aquifer Parameters Using InSAR Observations in the Xingtai Plain, China

Abstract

Long-term overexploitation of groundwater has led to significant land subsidence and ground fissures in the Xingtai plain. These geo-hazards have threatened the safety of buildings and infrastructures. It is extremely important to investigate the coupling relationship between land deformation and hydraulic head change for controlling land subsidence and mitigating ground fissures. In this study, we obtained the spatial and temporal evolution of land deformation in the Xingtai plain by using Envisat/ASAR data during 2009~2010 and Sentinel-1A data during 2015~2021. Combining InSAR results, head observations and geological data, we investigated the response of land deformation to head change and estimate the aquifer parameters. First, joint analysis of displacement time series and head changes infers that land subsidence was mainly caused by the inelastic compaction in aquitards. Compared with the subsidence patterns during 2009~2010, both the rate and spatial extent of land subsidence increased obviously during 2015~2021. Second, seasonal fluctuations in hydraulic head resulted in significant seasonal deformation with an amplitude of 10~30 mm and peak time of January~March, of which the spatial–temporal distribution was consistent with that of the rapid subsidence. Third, obvious differences in the deformation rate and seasonal amplitude were observed across the Longyao ground fissures and other three potential fissures during 2015~2021, suggesting that the activity of ground fissures increased compared with that during 2009~2010. Finally, using InSAR results and head observations, we estimated the elastic and inelastic skeletal storativity, with values ranging from 0.9 × 10−3 to 12.4 × 10−3 and 6.2 × 10−3 to 88.0 × 10−3, respectively. The comparison between elastic and inelastic skeletal storativity suggests that ~84.5% of total subsidence was irreversible and permanent.