Mapping and Analyses of Land Subsidence in Hengshui, China, Based on InSAR Observations

Man Li (), Daqing Ge, Xiaofang Guo, Ling Zhang, Bin Liu, Yan Wang, Qiong Wu, Xiangxing Wan and Yu Wang
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Man Li: China Aero Geophysical Survey and Remote Sensing Center for Natural Resources, Beijing 100083, China
Daqing Ge: China Aero Geophysical Survey and Remote Sensing Center for Natural Resources, Beijing 100083, China
Xiaofang Guo: China Aero Geophysical Survey and Remote Sensing Center for Natural Resources, Beijing 100083, China
Ling Zhang: China Aero Geophysical Survey and Remote Sensing Center for Natural Resources, Beijing 100083, China
Bin Liu: China Aero Geophysical Survey and Remote Sensing Center for Natural Resources, Beijing 100083, China
Yan Wang: China Aero Geophysical Survey and Remote Sensing Center for Natural Resources, Beijing 100083, China
Qiong Wu: China Aero Geophysical Survey and Remote Sensing Center for Natural Resources, Beijing 100083, China
Xiangxing Wan: China Aero Geophysical Survey and Remote Sensing Center for Natural Resources, Beijing 100083, China
Yu Wang: China Aero Geophysical Survey and Remote Sensing Center for Natural Resources, Beijing 100083, China

Land, 2023, vol. 12, issue 9, 1-15

Abstract: In this paper, we use interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) annual and time-series analysis of RADARSAT-2 SAR data, spanning from September 2011 to October 2022, to study the temporal–spatial characteristics of land subsidence in Hengshui, North China Plain. The data reveal two large-scale subsidence areas in Hengshui, individually located to the north of Hengshui city around the Hutuo River and to the east or south along the Fuyang, Suolu and Qingliang Rivers. The fastest subsidence arises after 2017, with the maximum rate exceeding 11 cm/year. We correlate the observed subsidence with the central table variation of groundwater depression, groundwater table variation of three confined aquifers, hydraulic head declines of three confined aquifers and the time-dependent total hydraulic head variation. We find a spatial consistency between land subsidence and groundwater depression or hydraulic head declines of three confined aquifers, and subsidence displacement and total hydraulic heads both manifest clear seasonal variability. This suggests that the subsidence is primarily caused by groundwater extraction for agricultural use. We also observe that the subsidence rates in Hengshui did not decrease but rather increased when the groundwater table significantly rose after September 2019. It is very likely that as a result of the occurrence of thick and widespread continuity of clay layers with high compressibility in the Quaternary deposit of Hengshui, a new preconsolidation head could be generated due to groundwater table drop, leading to the effective hydraulic head still existing in the aquitards even if the groundwater table rises in the aquifer systems.

Keywords: InSAR; land subsidence; groundwater; hydraulic head; preconsolidation; confined aquifers; aquitards (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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