Evaluation of Drawdown Dynamics and Implications for Groundwater Detectability with Remote Sensing

Dr. Sasha Richey McLarty is conducting research on seasonal groundwater dynamics in the Mid-Columbia Basin. The study helps quantify drawdown and rebound in the aquifer and may have implications for how remote sensing is used to evaluate regional groundwater trends. Results may be useful for decision makers focused on water use in the basin. Sasha McLarty (née Richey) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Washington State University. Dr. McLarty’s research leverages a diversity of tools and data to better answer three questions: How much water do we have? How much water do we use? How much water do we need? Her main interest is in identifying and quantifying the interaction between human and physical systems, with a focus on groundwater and large-scale hydrologic systems. Currently, Dr. McLarty’s research combines satellite and in situ observations of hydrologic systems into modeling and decision support frameworks over large regional scales, including in the Columbia Plateau Aquifer in the Pacific Northwest (USA) and High Mountain Asia.