Water Level Variability in Global Hydrological Basins 

This animation uses data from NASA's ICESat-2 satellite laser altimeter to quantify global variability in water level for over 227,386 water bodies from October 2018 to July 2020. 

Knowing the extent of human influence on the global hydrological cycle is essential for the sustainability of freshwater resources on Earth. Global maps organized by hydrologic basin reveal that natural variability in surface water level is greatest in tropical basins like the Amazon and the Congo and lowest in northern and Arctic areas such as Northern Canada and Alaska. Overall, the finding that humans are responsible for the majority of seasonal surface water storage variability shows that we are now a key regulator of the water cycle. 

As economic development, population growth, and climate change continue to pressure global water resources in the future, measurements from satellites like ICESat-2 will continue to provide vital information about how humans are managing freshwater resources worldwide. 


For more information: 
svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4889/ 

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