InSAR-Based Assessment of Land Subsidence Related to Aquifer Overexploitation in Spain: A Comprehensive Review

In the upcoming years, global urban growth will drive increased water demand in urban and agricultural areas, while climate change will affect water resource timing and distribution. Groundwater, a crucial resource in many Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern countries, faces significant pressure as it is exploited at a higher rate than it can be recharged. Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (InSAR) is widely employed for monitoring land subsidence due to the overexploitation of detrital aquifers. Utilizing InSAR as an Earth Observation (EO) technique offers advantages like high spatial density, extensive coverage, precision, and all-weather data collection. This work reviews InSAR data usage in studying groundwater-induced land subsidence, focusing on Spanish case studies by the Geohazards InSARlab team (IGME-CSIC). It showcases four instances where such data have contributed to modeling aquifer deformation and groundwater flow, and developing sustainable water management plans.