Govind Tekale
Earth has lost 290 cubic miles of freshwater since May 2014 - equivalent to 2.5 Lake Eries vanishing from both surface and underground reserves, according to NASA-German satellite data.
Photo Source- NASA (Picryl)
How did our planet's freshwater storage drop by 1,200 cubic kilometers between 2015-2023 compared to 2002-2014 averages?
Earth’s Freshwater Reserves Drop by 290 Cubic Miles
Photo Source- U.S. Department of Agriculture (Flicker)
NASA's GRACE satellites detect these massive water losses through gravitational measurements, revealing monthly snapshots of Earth's changing water distribution patterns.
Rising temperatures force more water vapor into the atmosphere while hardening soil surfaces, creating a vicious cycle where even heavy rains fail to replenish groundwater reserves.
Photo Source- Zorba the Geek (CC BY-SA 2.0)
What started as severe drought in Brazil cascaded across five continents, with water levels failing to recover even after the powerful 2014-2016 El Niño subsided?
Photo Source- Lou Gold (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
The UN's 2024 water stress report warns of agricultural strain, urban water scarcity, and increased groundwater pumping, raising risks of famine and water-related conflicts.
Photo Source- Global Water Partnership - a water secure world (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
GRACE satellites, operated jointly by NASA and German Aerospace Center, have documented 13 of history's 30 most intense droughts since 2015 alone.
Virginia Tech hydrologist Susanna Werth acknowledges measurement uncertainties while emphasizing the undeniable correlation between water loss and Earth's nine warmest years on record.
Photo Source- Lynn Greyling (publicdomainpictures.net)
NASA Goddard's Matthew Rodell suggests these unprecedented water losses could signal permanent changes to Earth's freshwater distribution, demanding immediate conservation action.
Photo Source- Muhammad Amdad Hossain (Pexels)
next story