Satellite study maps human influences on global water storage
NASA describes a study identifying 40 regions where long-term water-storage changes align with irrigation, reservoirs and land-use changes.
What the record says
NASA's October 20 account describes a study using GRACE and GRACE-FO satellite measurements from April 2002 to November 2025 to examine terrestrial water storage. Researchers identified 40 regions where changes were associated with human activities as well as climate variability. The analysis links groundwater-irrigated farming to declining storage in areas including northern India and parts of North America, while reservoirs and other land-use changes align with gains elsewhere. Combining satellite passes produced finer spatial detail, with a tradeoff in temporal detail.
Source details and supporting locations.
Practical next step
Consult NASA's study summary and linked research for the regional findings and methods.
Limits and what is not established
These are long-term research findings and statistical relationships, not a real-time drought warning or a claim that all regions are losing water. The study's improved spatial detail comes with reduced temporal detail, and local decisions require current regional evidence.
Sources checked October 20, 2026. Later notices may change instructions or arrangements.
Original sources
NASA Earth Observatory: original information