{"id":177439,"date":"2024-11-18T17:59:50","date_gmt":"2024-11-18T17:59:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2024\/11\/18\/global-freshwater-levels-decline-nasa-german-satellites-reveal\/"},"modified":"2024-11-18T17:59:50","modified_gmt":"2024-11-18T17:59:50","slug":"global-freshwater-levels-decline-nasa-german-satellites-reveal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2024\/11\/18\/global-freshwater-levels-decline-nasa-german-satellites-reveal\/","title":{"rendered":"Global Freshwater Levels Decline, NASA-German Satellites Reveal"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Earth’s<\/a> freshwater reserves experienced a sudden decline starting in May 2014 and have remained persistently low, according to findings by an international team of scientists utilising NASA-German satellites. Observations from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE<\/a>) mission revealed a significant reduction in freshwater stored on land, including lakes, rivers, and underground aquifers. The study, published in Surveys in Geophysics, suggests this shift may indicate a transition to drier conditions across the continents.<\/p>\n

Freshwater Reduction Quantified<\/h2>\n

Between 2015 and 2023, terrestrial freshwater levels were found<\/a> to be 290 cubic miles below the average recorded from 2002 to 2014, according to Matthew Rodell, a hydrologist at NASA’s<\/a> Goddard Space<\/a> Flight Center. This equates to over twice the volume of Lake Erie. Contributing factors include droughts and increased reliance on groundwater for agriculture and urban needs, which depletes reserves faster than they can be replenished. A 2024 United Nations report on water stress highlighted the societal risks of diminished water supplies, including famine, poverty, and reliance on unsafe water sources.<\/p>\n

Impact of Global Warming on Water Cycles<\/h2>\n

Research indicates that rising global temperatures may be exacerbating freshwater loss. Michael Bosilovich, a meteorologist at NASA Goddard, explained that warming intensifies evaporation and increases the atmosphere’s capacity to retain moisture, leading to extreme rainfall events. While total annual precipitation remains steady, prolonged dry spells between these events reduce soil absorption, worsening drought conditions.<\/p>\n